Date:         Mon, 7 Jul 2008 15:23:30 -0500
Reply-To:     "data _null_," <datanull@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         "data _null_," <datanull@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: SET with OBS=0
Comments: To: Mary <mlhoward@avalon.net>
In-Reply-To:  <09e701c8e067$f1df84b0$832fa8c0@HP82083701405>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

On 7/7/08, Mary <mlhoward@avalon.net> wrote:
>
> For my case, I want to set the specific data set that I'm specifying in ODS
> to have no observations before running the procedure, then I can ask whether
> it still has no observations after running the procedure.

But that's not what you're doing.  You are counting the observations.
Not checking that it is still zero.  As you said you can use the
dictionary tables to determine if a data set has zero observations or
not.

data noObsOrVars;
   stop;
   run;
proc sql;
   select memname,nobs from
      dictionary.tables
      where libname eq 'WORK'
                and memname eq 'NOOBSORVARS';
   quit;
   run;

However using this method requires macro variables and macros which
may not be needed.  You can also code a data step to cause some
actions when there are no observations in a data set.  Plus you don't
need to count anything.

211  data crossTabFreqs;
212     stop;
213     run;

NOTE: The data set WORK.CROSSTABFREQS has 0 observations and 0 variables.

214  ods listing close;
215  ods output crossTabFreqs=crossTabFreqs;
216  proc freq data=sashelp.class;
217     tables sex*age / list;
218     run;

WARNING: Output 'crossTabFreqs' was not created.  Make sure that the
output object name, label, or path is spelled correctly.  Also, verify
that the
         appropriate procedure options are used to produce the
requested output object.  For example, verify that the NOPRINT option
is not used.
NOTE: There were 19 observations read from the data set SASHELP.CLASS.

219  ods listing;
220  data crossTabFreqs;
221     if _n_ eq 1 and eof then do;
222        put 'NOTE: NO observations';
223        call execute('*endsas; *perhaps;');
224        end;
225     set crossTabFreqs end=eof;
226     run;

NOTE: NO observations
NOTE: There were 0 observations read from the data set WORK.CROSSTABFREQS.
NOTE: The data set WORK.CROSSTABFREQS has 0 observations and 0 variables.

NOTE: CALL EXECUTE generated line.
1   + *endsas; *perhaps;