SAS Component Language Dictionary |
Fills an SCL list with items of system information about a SAS
table, view, or catalog entry
sysrc=DESCRIBE(source-name,list-id<,type>);
|
-
sysrc
-
contains the return code for the operation:
0 |
successful |
0 |
not successful |
Type:
Numeric
-
source-name
-
is the name of the table, view, or catalog
entry.
Type: Character
-
list-id
-
contains the identifier of an existing list
to contain the control's description. An invalid list-id
produces an error condition.
Type: Numeric or List
-
type
-
specifies the type of control to be described:
-
'CATALOG'
-
SAS catalog entry (This is the default.)
For three- or four-level names, the default entry type is PROGRAM.
-
'DATA'
-
SAS table (This is the default for one-
or two-level names.)
-
'VIEW'
-
SAS data view.
Type:
Character
Because DESCRIBE replaces the previous
values in the list, the same list can be used repeatedly.
The items of descriptive information are placed into
the list as named items, and the names of the list items are the names of
the attributes described. Only the named attributes that appear in the list
are filled in.
The attributes that DESCRIBE can place in an SCL list
are determined by the value of type. If type is DATA or VIEW, then the items named in the list are
attributes that are returned by the ATTRN and ATTRC functions. If type is CATALOG, then the items named in the list are DESC
(the description of the catalog), EDESC (the extended description of the catalog
entry), CRDATE (the date that the entry was created), and DATE (the date that
the entry was last modified). CRDATE and DATE are SAS date values.
For catalog entries, if a numeric list item named DATE
exists in the list, then DESCRIBE sets that item's values to a SAS date value.
Otherwise, if DATE is a character list item, then DESCRIBE assigns a formatted
date string using the MMDDYY10. format. Use ITEMTYPE to determine the type
of a list item.
Create an SCL list containing items named DESC and DATE.
DESCRIBE fills the DESC and DATE items in the list with information about
the catalog entry MYLIB.MYCAT.A.SCL.
init:
desc_list=makenlist('L','DESC','DATE');
/* set DATE to character list item */
rc=setnitemc(desc_list,' ','DATE');
rc=describe('MYLIB.MYCAT.A.SCL',desc_list,'CATALOG');
call putlist(desc_list);
return;
The output would be similar to:
(DESC='A.SCL' DATE='03/25/2000' )[5]
ATTRC and ATTRN
Copyright © 2009 by SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA. All rights reserved.