Inputting Data Using the INFILE Statement Rather than the DATALINES Statement

When working with a very large dataset, it might be more convenient to input data using the INFILE statement rather than the DATALINES statement. This involves:

  • adding an INFILE statement to your program;

  • placing your data lines in a second computer file, rather than in the file that contains your SAS program;

  • deleting the DATALINES statement from your SAS program.

Your INFILE statement should appear after the DATA statement but before the INPUT statement. The general form for a SAS program using the INFILE statement is as follows:

DATA dataset-name; INFILE 'name-of-data-file' ; INPUT #line-number @column-number variable-name column-width. @column-number variable-name ...

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