Hack 3.15 Keeping Specific SAS Files During Mass Deletions

SAS Programming Professionals,

Did you know that you can delete all SAS files in a given SAS data library _EXCEPT_ those that you specifically list in the SAVE statement using PROC DATASETS? 

Think of PROC DATASETS’ SAVE statement as a kind of KEEP statement for SAS files instead of for SAS variables.  Consider this example:

proc datasets library=raithlib;

      save FaveCDList FaveMovielist;

run;

quit;

That program deletes the dozen or so SAS data sets, catalogs, etc. in my RAITHLIB SAS data library, leaving my two favorite SAS data sets FaveCDList and FaveMovieList behind.

If I had a catalog with the same name as one of the two aforementioned SAS data sets, I would simply include a “/memtype=data” to the end of the SAVE statement, above, and that catalog would be history, but my SAS data sets wouldn’t be!

Best of luck in all your SAS endeavors!

----MMMMIIIIKKKKEEEE

(aka Michael A. Raithel)

Excerpt from the book:  Did You Know That?  Essential Hacks for Clever SAS Programmers

http://www.amazon.com/Michael-A.-Raithel/e/B001K8GG90/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

I plan to post each and every one of the hacks in the book to social media on a weekly basis.  Please pass them along to colleagues who you know would benefit.