FILENAME Statement, URL Access Method


Enables you to access remote files by using the URL access method

Valid: anywhere

Category: Data Access

Syntax

FILENAME fileref URL external-file

  • < url-options >;

Arguments

fileref

  • is a valid fileref.

  • Tip: The association between a fileref and an external file lasts only for the duration of the SAS session or until you change it or discontinue it with another FILENAME statement. You can change the fileref for a file as often as you want.

URL

  • specifies the access method that enables you to read a file from any host machine that you can connect to on a network with a URL server running.

  • Alias: HTTP

external-file

  • specifies the name of the file that you want to read from on a URL server. The access method must be in one of these forms:

    • http:// hostname / file

    • https :// hostname / file

    • http:// hostname:portno / file

    • https:// hostname:portno / file

  • Operating Environment Information: For details about specifying the physical names of external files, see the SAS documentation for your operating environment.

url-options

  • can be any of the following:

  • BLOCKSIZE= blocksize

    • where blocksize is the size of the URL data buffer in bytes.

    • Default: 8K

  • DEBUG

    • writes debugging information to the SAS log.

    • Tip: The result of the HELP command is returned as records.

  • LRECL= lrecl

    • where lrecl is the logical record length.

    • Default: 256

  • PASS= password

    • where password is the password to use with the user name that is specified in the USER option.

    • Tip: You can specify the PROMPT option instead of the PASS option, which tells the system to prompt you for the password.

  • PROMPT

    • specifies to prompt for the user login password if necessary.

    • Tip: If you specify PROMPT, you do not need to specify PASS=.

  • PROXY= url

    • specifies the Uniform Resource Locator (URL) for the proxy server in one of these forms:

      • http:// hostname /

      • http:// hostname:portno /

  • RECFM= recfm

    • where recfm is one of three record formats:

      F

      is fixed-record format. Thus, all records are of size LRECL with no line delimiters. Data is transferred in image (binary) mode.

      S

      is stream-record format. Data is transferred in image (binary) mode.

      Tip: The amount of data that is read is controlled by the current LRECL value or the value of the NBYTE= variable in the INFILE statement. The NBYTE= option specifies a variable that is equal to the amount of data to be read. This amount must be less than or equal to LRECL.

      See Also: The NBYTE= option on page 1227 in the INFILE statement.

      V

      is variable-record format (the default). In this format, records have varying lengths, and they are transferred in text (stream) mode.

      Tip: Any record larger than LRECL is truncated.

    • Default: V

  • USER= username

    • where username is used to log on to the URL server.

    • Tip: If you specify user= * , then the user is prompted for an ID.

    • Interaction: If PROMPT is specified, but USER= is not, the user is prompted for an ID as well as a password.

Details

The Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocol is used when the URL begins with https instead of http . The SSL protocol provides network security and privacy. Developed by Netscape Communications, SSL uses encryption algorithms that include RC2, RC4, DES, tripleDES, IDEA, and MD5. Not limited to providing only encryption services, SSL can also perform client and server authentication and use message authentication codes. SSL is supported by both Netscape Navigator and Internet Explorer. Many Web sites use the protocol to provide confidential user information such as credit card numbers . The SSL protocol is application independent, enabling protocols such as HTTP, FTP, and Telnet to be layered transparently above it. SSL is optimized for HTTP.

Operating Environment Information: Using the FILENAME statement requires information that is specific to your operating environment. The URL access method is fully documented here, but for more information about how to specify filenames, see the SAS documentation for your operating environment.

Examples

Example 1: Accessing a File at a Web Site

This example accesses document test.dat at site www.a.com :

 filename foo url 'http://www.a.com/test.dat'           proxy='http://www.gt.sas.com'; 

Example 2: Specifying a User ID and a Password

This example accesses document file1.html at site www.b.com and requires a user ID and password:

 filename foo url 'http://www.b.com/file1.html'           user='jones' prompt; 

Example 3: Reading the First 15 Records from a URL File

This example reads the first 15 records from a URL file and writes them to the SAS log with a PUT statement:

 filename foo url     'http://support.sas.com/techsup/service_intro.html';  data _null_;     infile foo length=len;     input record $varying200. len;     put record $varying200. len;     if _n_=15 then stop;  run; 

See Also

Statements:

  • FILENAME Statement on page 1169

  • FILENAME Statement, CATALOG Access Method on page 1176

  • FILENAME Statement, EMAIL (SMTP) Access Method on page 1181

  • FILENAME Statement, FTP Access Method on page 1190

  • FILENAME Statement, SOCKET Access Method on page 1199

Using SSL in UNIX Environments in SAS Companion for UNIX Environments

Using SSL under Windows in SAS Companion for Windows




SAS 9.1 Language Reference Dictionary, Volumes 1, 2 and 3
SAS 9.1 Language Reference Dictionary, Volumes 1, 2 and 3
ISBN: N/A
EAN: N/A
Year: 2004
Pages: 704

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