In the Know...SAS Tips & Techniques From Around the Globe

Table of Contents

• How to fix unbalanced quotes
• Using a wildcard in variable lists
• Using wildcards to read external files
• Commenting out code containing comments
• Sizing the screen space used by SAS applications
• Data encryption for the beginner
• Capturing screens under Windows
• Cautions in dealing with missing values
• Saving resources when the log is long
• Additional SAS documentation

• 22 ways to save disk space
• How to save space in SAS catalogs
• 10 ways to minimize I/O
• Implementing application data security
• Use indexes with WHERE clauses
• Use composite indexes with WHERE clauses
• SAS/GRAPH LINK TO attribute
• Useful options for tuning
• SAS dynamic link libraries under Windows & OS/2
• Additional SAS documentation

• Incrementing and rounding by time intervals
• Various forms for functions argument lists
• Determining which SAS products you have
• Peculiarities of the LENGTH function
• Random numbers are not always random
• Minimum/Maximum arithmetic operators
• Getting the remainder of a division
• Additional SAS documentation

• How to rearrange variables in a data set
• Using pattern matching in WHERE clauses
• Conditionally generating code with CALL EXECUTE
• DDE: writing data to Lotus 123
• DDE: writing to Microsoft Word
• DDE: operating other programs from SAS
• DDE: make sure numbers are numeric
• DDE: using more advanced commands
• Introduction to using arrays
• Adding variables with similar names
• Inputting data using text value positioning
• Reading unaligned data that require informats
• Do-it-yourself log messages
• Use_NULL_DATA steps when not creating data sets
• Determining the number of observations in a data set
• Creating views from a DATA step
• Use the DATA step debugger
• How to put variable labels into titles
• Simple ways to comment out code
• Altering processing within a DO loop, based on a condition
• Editing external files in place
• DATA of views canŐt change
• BY group processing different for PROC steps and DATA steps
• Result of merges differ if a BY statement is used
• Values are retained when doing indexed reads
• Views donŐt use indexes
• Bringing environment variables into macro variables
• Using stored compiled programs
• Logic variations using IF & WHERE
• Additional SAS documentation

• Automatic macro variables
• Listing macro variables and their values
• Accessing all macro variable values
• Arithmetic calculations in macros
• Match quotes in macro comments
• Forcing SAS to store macro symbol tables on disk
• How to produce files for import Into other applications
• Useful merge macro
• Additional SAS documentation

• Outputting multiple procedures to one page
• Printing graphs in landscape or portrait
• Putting BY variables into titles
• Multiple graphs on a page
• Inconsistent treatment of misspelled PROC names
• Additional SAS documentation

• More information on space used by catalog members
• 7 Ways to tune sorts in SAS
• Eliminating duplicates from a sort
• Copying a file and its indexes
• Additional SAS documentation

• Data
• Creating tab-separated output using PROC TABULATE
• Producing multi-panel reports with PROC REPORT
• Indenting output using PROC TABULATE
• Wrapping lines with PROC REPORT
• Saving space on the page with PROC TABULATE
• Defining denominator definitions in PROC TABULATE
• Additional SAS documentation

• Tips
• FREQ/SUMMARY: frequency tables with long labels
• SUMMARY: CLASS Versus BY statements
• MEANS: specifying confidence limits to calculate
• UNIVARIATE: mode is the minimum when there are multiples
• UNIVARIATE/FASTCLUS: calculating weighted medians
• REG: determining whether to use intercepts
• Additional SAS documentation

• A better looking report with BY groups
• Saving resources by specifying width
• Labels are always displayed in BY groups
• OBS= canŐt be used in conjunction with a WHERE clause
• Additional SAS documentation

• Nesting formats within other formats
• Modifying standard (in)formats with a custom (in)format
• Mixing character and numeric values in informats
• Automatically rounding numbers
• Using long values
• Using formats in a table lookup
• Additional SAS documentation

• Be careful when using SQL
• Automatic data dictionary information
• Conditional arithmetic
• Providing values to use in place of missing values
• Using values just calculated
• Examining resource usage in SQL
• Generating statements to define data set/view structure
• Submit SQL works with TESTAF
• Additional SAS documentation

• Making methods memory resident
• Variable names and list item names in SCL can be long
• Using environment lists to pass information
• Displaying a CATALOG selection list
• Determining or causing an END or CANCEL
• SCL function to calculate statistics from a data set
• Using macros in SCL
• Debugging SCL using environment-dependent macros
• Arrays can be passed by reference in Release 6.11
• Open data sets for sequential input to improve performance
• Delete lists to save memory
• How to test SUBMIT blocks in SAS/AF
• Replacing SCL variable values in SUBMIT blocks
• Use same case in SCL constants
• Remote command determines where SUBMIT blocks run
• Saving and retrieving parameters in PROGRAM entries
• Getting SCL help online in Windows
• Additional SAS documentation

• Using Different cursor shapes for different objects
• Displaying a file selection list
• Programming a delay
• Automatically loading a default SCL template when creating a new FRAME entry
• Specifying automatic filter Lists for open and save as
• Tabbing to non-text fields in a frame on the Windows platform
• Formats are not always updated from a FRAME
• Automatic line insert when editing SCL
• Setting the window size of dialog frames
• Ensuring INSERT key is off at start of FRAME entries
• Refreshing the Build window
• Cleaning up in the terminate (TERM:) section
• Making a box look sunken
• Using hotspots on graphs
• Additional SAS documentation

• Connecting SAS sessions between mainframes
• Using SAS/CONNECT in batch mode
• Additional SAS documentation

• Questions to always ask yourself
• Using the ISPF editor from the SAS system
• Listing tape labels from the SAS system
• Defining user-defined ISPF commands
• Useful ISPF editing functions
• Check JCL syntax prior to running
• Use QuickRef for online reference
• Free tapes after use
• Dispense with your LOG data set
• Use best block sizes
• Obtaining a big region size
• Use VIO for small temporary files
• Invoke user CLISTs with the 00000001refix
• Examine EXCP counts
• Use the appropriate batch job classes
• Use batch rather than online TSO
• Browse rather than edit
• Chaining ISPF commands
• Copying files
• Pre-processing ISPF panels
• Library concatenations
• Keep JCL and source separate
• Log off when youŐre finished
• Do not keep pressing Enter
• Additional SAS documentation