DATALINES4 Statement

Indicates that data lines that contain semicolons follow

Valid: in a DATA step

Category: File-handling

Type: Declarative

Aliases: CARDS4, LINES4

Syntax

DATALINES4 ;

Without Arguments

Use the DATALINES4 statement together with an INPUT statement to read data that contain semicolons that you enter directly in the program.

Details

The DATALINES4 statement is the last statement in the DATA step and immediately precedes the first data line. Follow the data lines with four consecutive semicolons that are located in columns 1 through 4.

Comparisons

Use the DATALINES4 statement when data contain semicolons. If your data do not contain semicolons, use the DATALINES statement.

Examples

In this example, SAS reads data lines that contain internal semicolons until it encounters a line of four semicolons. Execution continues with the rest of the program.

 data biblio;     input number citation .;     datalines4;    KIRK, 1988  2  LIN ET AL., 1995; BRADY, 1993  3  BERG, 1990; ROA, 1994; WILLIAMS, 1992  ;;;; 

See Also

Statements:

• 'DATALINES Statement' on page 1131