List only the column names of a dataset - sas

Question

I am working on SAS in UNIX env and I want to view only the column name of a dataset. I have tried proc contents and proc print but both of them list a lot of other irrevelant information that I do not want as it fills up my putty screen and the information ultimately is lost.
I also tried to get this thing frm the sas metadata but that is not working either.
I tried :
2? proc sql;
select *
from dictionary.tables
where libname='test' and memname='sweden_elig_file_jul';
quit;
5?
NOTE: No rows were selected.
6?
NOTE: PROCEDURE SQL used (Total process time):
real time 0.27 seconds
cpu time 0.11 seconds

Answer 1

You're using the wrong dictionary table to get column names...
proc sql ;
select name
from dictionary.columns
where memname = 'mydata'
;
quit ;
Or using PROC CONTENTS
proc contents data=mydata out=meta (keep=NAME) ;
run ;
proc print data=meta ; run ;

Answer 2

Here's one I've used before to get a list of columns with a little bit more information, you can add the keep option as in the previous answer. This just demonstrates how to create a connection to the metadata server, in case that is useful to anyone viewing this post.
libname fetchlib meta
library="libraryName" metaserver="metaDataServerAddress"
password="yourPassword" port=1234
repname="yourRepositoryName" user="yourUserName";
proc contents data=fetchlib.YouDataSetName
memtype=DATA
out=outputDataSet
nodetails
noprint;
run;

Answer 3

For a pure macro approach, try the following:
%macro mf_getvarlist(libds
,dlm=%str( )
)/*/STORE SOURCE*/;
/* declare local vars */
%local outvar dsid nvars x rc dlm;
/* open dataset in macro */
%let dsid=%sysfunc(open(&libds));
%if &dsid %then %do;
%let nvars=%sysfunc(attrn(&dsid,NVARS));
%if &nvars>0 %then %do;
/* add first dataset variable to global macro variable */
%let outvar=%sysfunc(varname(&dsid,1));
/* add remaining variables with supplied delimeter */
%do x=2 %to &nvars;
%let outvar=&outvar.&dlm%sysfunc(varname(&dsid,&x));
%end;
%End;
%let rc=%sysfunc(close(&dsid));
%end;
%else %do;
%put unable to open &libds (rc=&dsid);
%let rc=%sysfunc(close(&dsid));
%end;
&outvar
%mend;
Usage:
%put List of Variables=%mf_getvarlist(sashelp.class);
Returns:
List of Variables=Name Sex Age Height Weight
source: https://github.com/sasjs/core/blob/main/base/mf_getvarlist.sas

Answer 4

proc sql;
select *
from dictionary.tables
where libname="TEST" and memname="SWEDEN_ELIG_FILE_JUL";
quit;