Scripting Guide - SAS

Appendix A JSL Syntax Reference 575
Character Pattern Functions
Pat At(varName)
Description
Constructs a pattern that matches the null string and stores the current position in the source string into
the specified JSL variable (varName). The assignment is immediate, and the variable can be used with
expr() to affect the remainder of the match.
Returns
A pattern.
Argument
varName the name of a variable to store the result in.
Example
p = ":" + Pat At(listStart) + expr(if(listStart==1, Pat Immediate(Pat Len(3),
early), Pat Immediate(Pat Len(2), late)));
early = ""; late = "";
Pat Match(":123456789", p);
show(early,late); early = ""; late = "";
Pat Match(" :123456789", p);
show(early,late);
First this is produced:
early = "123"
late = ""
and later this:
early = ""
late = "12"
Pat Break("string")
Description
Constructs a pattern that matches zero or more characters that are not in its argument; it stops or breaks
on a character in its argument. It fails if a character in its argument is not found (in particular, it fails to
match if it finds the end of the source string without finding a break character).
Returns
A pattern.
Argument
string a string.
Pat Concat(pattern1, pattern2 )
Pattern1 + Pattern2 + ...
Description
Constructs a pattern that matches each pattern argument in turn.
Returns
A pattern.