Explaining the Difference between "input" and "infile" in SAS

In SAS programming, the "input" and "infile" statements serve different purposes and have distinct functionalities:

"input" Statement:

The "input" statement in SAS is used to list the variables that need to be read from the input data set. It specifies the variables and their respective formats and informats to be used during data read-in process. The "input" statement is typically used along with a data step to read data into SAS datasets.

"infile" Statement:

On the other hand, the "infile" statement in SAS is used to specify the external file from which data needs to be read. It defines the location and characteristics of the input file, including delimiters, file format, and any special instructions needed to properly read the data. The "infile" statement is commonly used in combination with the "input" statement to read data from external sources into SAS datasets.

Therefore, while the "input" statement is used to define variables and their properties within SAS datasets, the "infile" statement is used to specify the location and characteristics of external data files to be read into SAS.

Understanding the distinction between these two statements is crucial for efficiently reading and processing data in SAS programming.