Export Data from SAS to Text File: Guide

Exporting data from SAS to text file is straightforward and efficient with the PROC EXPORT statement.

This process allows you to quickly save your datasets in a text format, which can be useful for data sharing, processing, or integration with other systems.

Export Data from SAS to Text File: A Comprehensive Guide

In this article, we will explore the essential steps and provide examples to demonstrate how to effectively use this procedure in SAS.

Basic Syntax of PROC EXPORT

To get started, here’s a basic example of how to export data from SAS to a text file:

/* Export data to a file named my_data.txt */
proc export data=my_data
    outfile="/home/u13181/my_data.txt"
    dbms=tab
    replace;
run;

Understanding the Parameters:

  • data: Specifies the name of the dataset you want to export.
  • outfile: The file path where the text file will be created.
  • dbms: Indicates the file format. For text files, tab is commonly used.
  • replace: Overwrites the file if it already exists.

Example 1: Exporting a Dataset to a Text File with Default Settings

Let’s say you have a dataset containing basketball player statistics. Here’s how you can create this dataset and export it:

/* Create dataset with player statistics */
data my_data;
    input rating points assists rebounds;
    datalines;
90 25 5 11
85 20 7 8
82 14 7 10
88 16 8 6
94 27 5 6
90 20 7 9
76 12 6 6
75 15 9 10
87 14 9 10
86 19 5 7
;
run;

/* View the dataset */
proc print data=my_data;

/* Export dataset to a text file */
proc export data=my_data
    outfile="/home/u13181/my_data.txt"
    dbms=tab
    replace;
run;

After executing the export code, navigate to the specified directory to find the my_data.txt file. The contents of this text file will match your original dataset from SAS, making it easy to confirm the successful export.

Example 2: Exporting a Dataset to a Text File with Custom Delimiters

Sometimes, you may want to customize how your data is formatted in the text file. The following example introduces how to implement a custom delimiter and remove the header row during the export process:

/* Export dataset with custom settings */
proc export data=my_data
    outfile="/home/u13181/my_data2.txt"
    dbms=tab
    replace;
    delimiter=";";
    putnames=NO;
run;

After running the code above, check the location where you exported the file.

You will notice that the header row has been omitted and each value is separated by a semi-colon rather than the default comma.

This flexibility allows you to tailor the output format to meet the specific needs of your project.

Conclusion

Using SAS’s PROC EXPORT statement is an effective way to export your datasets to text files.

Whether you’re looking to export data with default settings or prefer specific formatting options, this process is both simple and efficient.

By following the examples provided in this guide, you can easily manage data exportation from SAS to text files, enhancing your data handling capabilities.

Now that you’re equipped with the knowledge of exporting datasets from SAS to text files, you can streamline your data sharing and processing tasks effortlessly.

Enjoy the ease of managing your datasets using SAS!

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