Proc - Contents

PROC CONTENTS
Proc contents gives descriptive information for all

variables found in SAS dataset such as type, length, position,
format, informat and label.
Using this procedure we can see description information of dataset.
It is useful for document purpose. (Documenting SAS datasets stored in libraries)
Syntax:-
PROC CONTENTS <OPTIONS>;
RUN;
Examples:-
PROC CONTENTS;
RUN;
It prints content information for latest dataset.
Options:-
Data: - Specify the input data set for which dataset we are finding descriptor information.
PROC CONTENTS DATA=SASHELP.CLASS;
RUN;
Out: - Specify the output data set

It creates description information portion in output dataset.
PROC CONTENTS DATA=SASHELP.CLASS OUT=WORK.DATASET;
RUN;
Noprint: - Suppress the printing of the output

PROC CONTENTS DATA= DATA=SASHELP.CLASS OUT=DATASET NOPRINT;
RUN;
Position: - Default variables in the dataset are printed out an alphabetic order, when this
position option specified, a second list of variables is output according to their position in
the dataset.
PROC CONTENTS DATA=SASHELP.CLASS POSITION;
RUN;
But don’t want in Alphabetic order, Need only list of variables with their attributes in dataset
order use
Varnum: - Print a list of the variables by their logical position in the data set
PROC CONTENTS DATA=SASHELP.CLASS VARNUM;
RUN;
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Short: - Prints out only names of variables (without attributes) in
SAS dataset.
PROC CONTENTS DATA=SASHELP.CLASS SHORT;
RUN;
Default it prints list of variables in Alphabetic order, but need to print in both alphabetic
and dataset order
PROC CONTENTS DATA=SASHELP.CLASS SHORT POSITION;
RUN;
Default it prints list of variables in Alphabetic order, but need to print in only dataset order
PROC CONTENTS DATA=SASHELP.CLASS SHORT /*POSITION*/ VARNUM;
RUN;
Centiles: - Print centiles information for indexed variables

/*SIMPLE INDEX */
PROC SQL;
CREATE INDEX NAME ON SASHELP.CLASS (NAME);
QUIT;
/* COMPOSITE INDEX*/
PROC SQL;
CREATE INDEX NAME ON SASHELP.CLASS (NAME,SEX,AGE,HEIGHT,WEIGHT);
QUIT;
PROC CONTENTS DATA= SASHELP.CLASS CENTILES;
RUN;
Out2:- Specify the name of an output data set to contain information about indexes and
integrity constraints
PROC CONTENTS DATA= SASHELP.CLASS OUT =DATASET1 OUT2=DATASET2;
RUN;
Data=_all_:- Prints descriptor information for all the datasets in library.

PROC CONTENTS DATA=WORK._ALL_;
RUN;
Nods:-Suppress the printing of individual files

NODS can use with only DATA=_ALL_.
PROC CONTENTS DATA=WORK._ALL_ NODS;
RUN;
Fmtlen: - Print the length of a variable's informat or format
__________________________________________________________________________________________
PROC CONTENTS DATA= SASHELP.CLASS FMTLEN;
RUN;
Directory: - Print a list of the SAS files in the SAS library

PROC CONTENTS DATA= SASHELP.CLASS DIRECTORY;
RUN;
Order: - COLLATE | CASECOLLATE | IGNORECASE | VARNUM

Collate - Prints list of variables in alphabetical order beginning with uppercase and then
lowercase names.
Casecollate - Prints list of variables in alphabetic order even if they include mixed-case names
and numerics.
Ignorecase - Prints list of variables in alphabetical order ignoring the case of letters.
Varnum - It is same like Varnum option (means prints variables in dataset order).
PROC CONTENTS DATA= SASHELP.CLASS ORDER=VARNUM;
RUN;
Memtype: -
The contents statement produces output only for member types like DATA, VIEW, and ALL, which
includes DATA and VIEW.
PROC DATASETS MEMTYPE=DATA;
CONTENTS DATA=SASHELP._ALL_;
RUN;
PROC DATASETS MEMTYPE=DATA;
CONTENTS DATA=SASHELP._ALL_;
RUN;
To get contents off all catalogs
PROC CONTENTS MEMTYPE=LIB.CATALOG;
RUN;
To get contents off all Views
PROC CONTENTS MEMTYPE=LIB.VIEW;
RUN;
How can you Calculate Data Set Size
To estimate the amount of disk space that is needed for a SAS data set:
Create a dummy SAS data set that contains information from sashelp.class (which contains 19
observations and 5 variables) that you need run the CONTENTS procedure using the dummy
data set
Determine the data set size by performing simple math using information from the
CONTENTS procedure output.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
DATA DS;
SET SASHELP.CLASS;
RUN;
PROC CONTENTS DATA=DS;
TITLE 'EXAMPLE FOR CALCULATING DATA SET SIZE';
RUN;
These statements generate the output shown in Example for Calculating Data Set Size with
PROC CONTENTS.
EXAMPLE FOR CALCULATING DATA SET SIZE

The CONTENTS Procedure
Data Set Name WORK.DS Observations 19
Member Type DATA Variables 5
Engine V9 Indexes 0
Created Monday, October 27, 2008 08:59:50 PM Observation Length 40
Last Modified Monday, October 27, 2008 08:59:50 PM Deleted Observations 0
Protection Compressed NO
Data Set Type Sorted NO
Label
Data Representation WINDOWS_32
Encoding wlatin1 Western (Windows)
Engine/Host Dependent Information

Data Set Page Size 4096
Number of Data Set Pages 1
First Data Page 1
Max Obs per Page 101
Obs in First Data Page 19
Number of Data Set Repairs 0
Filename C:\DOCUME~1\ADMINI~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\SAS Temporary Files\_TD2300\ds.sas7bdat
Release Created 9.0201M0
Host Created XP_PRO
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Alphabetic List of
Variables and
Attributes
# Variable Type Len

3 Age Num 8
4 Height Num 8
1 Name Char 8
2 Sex Char 1
5 Weight Num 8
The size of the resulting data set depends on the data set page size and the number of
observations. You can use your PROC CONTENTS output and the following formula to
estimate the data set size:
Number of data pages = 1 + (floor (Observations / Max Obs per Page))
Size = 256 + (Data Set Page Size * number of data pages)
(Floor represents a function that rounds the value down to the nearest integer.)
Taking the information that is shown in Example for Calculating Data Set Size with PROC
CONTENTS, you can calculate the size of the example data set:
Number of data pages = 1 + (floor(1/101))
Size = 256 + (4096 * 1) = 4352
Thus, the example data set uses 4,352 bytes of storage space.
Interview Questions
1) What is proc content? Syntax?
2) Why should we use Proc content?
3) Use proc contents for below dataset WORK.DS and observe output clearly
DATA WORK.DS;
SET SASHELP.CLASS;
RUN;
4) Use proc contents with below options and define all options with examples?
A) Data=Datasetname
B) Out=Datasetname
C) Out2=Datasetname
D) Data=_All_
E) Position
__________________________________________________________________________________________
F) Varnum
G) Short
H) Nods
I) Directory
J) Centiles
5) What is the output if I use SHORT & POSITION options in Proc contents?
6) What is the output if I use SHORT & VARNUM options in Proc contents?
7) How can you find out below ds dataset size?
DATA WORK.DS;
SET SASHELP.CLASS;
RUN;
8) What is the significance of below program?
Proc contents data=work._all_;
Run;
9) What is Member type? And what are the Member types do you know?
10) How can you get contents of all Catalogs in a library?
10) How can you get contents of all datasets in a library?
11) How can you get contents of all views in a library?
12) How can you get contents of all Datasets, Catalogs, Views in a library?
13) What is Index ? How can you create it ?
14) What is View? How can you create it ?
15) What is difference between Dataset & View ?
16) How can you calculate a dataset size?
17) How can you list the column names from SAS Dataset?
18) If you get a huge dataset for manipulation? How can you understand that data ?
__________________________________________________________________________________________

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PROC CONTENTS

Proc contents gives descriptive information for all

Out: - Specify the output data set

Noprint: - Suppress the printing of the output

Centiles: - Print centiles information for indexed variables

Data=_all_:- Prints descriptor information for all the datasets in library.

Nods:-Suppress the printing of individual files

Fmtlen: - Print the length of a variable's informat or format

Directory: - Print a list of the SAS files in the SAS library

Order: - COLLATE | CASECOLLATE | IGNORECASE | VARNUM

EXAMPLE FOR CALCULATING DATA SET SIZE

Member Type DATA Variables 5

Created Monday, October 27, 2008 08:59:50 PM Observation Length 40

Last Modified Monday, October 27, 2008 08:59:50 PM Deleted Observations 0

Data Set Type Sorted NO

Data Representation WINDOWS_32

Encoding wlatin1 Western (Windows)

Engine/Host Dependent Information

# Variable Type Len

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