Split large SAS dataset into smaller datasets

macros, sas, split

Solution

Building on Joe's answer, maybe you could try something like this :

%MACRO SPLIT(DATASET);

%LET DATASET_ID = %SYSFUNC(OPEN(&DATASET.));
%LET NOBS = %SYSFUNC(ATTRN(&DATASET__ID., NLOBS));
%LET NB_DATASETS = %SYSEVALF(&NOBS. / 250000, CEIL);

DATA 
  %DO I=1 %TO &NB_DATASETS.;
    WANT&I. 
  %END;;

  SET WANT;

  %DO I=1 %TO &NB_DATASETS.;

    %IF &I. > 1 %THEN %DO; ELSE %END; IF _N_ LE 2.5E5 * &I. THEN OUTPUT WANT&I.;

  %END;
RUN;
%MEND SPLIT;

Problem

I need some assistance with splitting a large SAS dataset into smaller datasets. Each month I'll have a dataset containing a few million records. This number will vary from month to month. I need to split this dataset into multiple smaller datasets containing 250,000 records each. For example, if I have 1,050,000 records in the original dataset then I need the end result to be 4 datasets containing 250,000 records and 1 dataset containing 50,000 records. From what I've been looking at it appears this will require using macros. Unfortunately I'm fairly new to SAS (unfamiliar with using macros) and don't have a lot of time to accomplish this. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

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