Yes. If your code is held in SAS catalogs, such as SCL entries and source entries, then you can use the BUILD procedure in SAS/AF software to write the contents of one or more catalogs to an external file. If you are using base SAS programs saved in external text files, then you can use the standard operating system (OS) features and tools such as the global search. To write the contents of two catalogs to one external text file, use the following syntax:

proc build c=sashelp.afclass batch;
           print source prtfile='c:\temp\codeListing.txt';
run;

proc build c=sashelp.aftools batch;
           print source APPEND
prtfile='c:\temp\codeListing.txt';
run;

By default, PROC BUILD will overwrite the output file if one already exists. The APPEND keyword tells PROC BUILD to add its output to the end of an existing file.

Andrew Ratcliffe, a registered partner of SAS UK, tells why this feature is useful. "Often there is a need to find all occurances of a text string in my applications. Sometimes the string is a message that needs to be changed. Sometimes I want to find all places where a method is used in an application to change parameters in a non-backwards compatible way." Ratcliffe publishes a free monthly enewsletter, NOTE:, that focuses on SAS tips and techniques. Sign up for a free subscription.

Operating System and Release Information