Using SAS Macro to pipe a list of filenames from a Windows directory

Question

I am trying to amend the macro below to accept a macro parameter as the \'location\' argument for a dir command. However I cannot get it to resolve correctly due to the nes

Answer 1

Make the following several changes and your code will work.

%macro get_filenames(location);  %*--(1)--*;
   filename pipedir pipe "dir ""%unquote(&location)"" /b" lrecl=32767; %*--(2)--*;
   data filenames;
     infile pipedir truncover;
     input filename $char1000.;
     put filename=;
   run;
   filename pipedir clear;  %*--(3)--*;
%mend;

%get_filenames(d:\)          
%get_filenames(d:\your dir)  %*--(4)--*;

(1) End the %macro statement with a semi-colon;

(2) Surround the macro variable resolution with doubled-up double quotes and %unquote;

(3) Release the file handle by clearing it; and

(4) Don't single quote your input parameter. macro quote instead, if necessary.