Using
the DATA step is the primary method for creating a SAS data set with base
SAS software. There are two kinds of SAS data sets: SAS data files and SAS
data views. A SAS data file contains both a data portion and a data descriptor
portion. A SAS data view uses descriptor information and data from other files.
A DATA step is a group of SAS language statements that
begin with a DATA statement. The DATA statement is followed by other programming
statements that manipulate existing SAS data sets or create SAS data sets
from raw data files.
You can use the DATA step for
- creating SAS data sets (SAS data files or SAS
data views)
- creating SAS data sets from input files that contain
raw data (external files)
- creating new SAS data sets from existing ones
by subsetting, merging, modifying, and updating existing SAS data sets
- analyzing, manipulating, or presenting your
data
- computing the values for new variables
- report writing, or writing files to disk or
tape
- retrieving information
- file management.
Note: A DATA step creates a SAS data set. This data set can be a SAS data file or a SAS data view. A SAS
data file stores data values while a SAS data view stores instructions for
retrieving and processing data. When you can use a SAS data view as a SAS
data file, as is true in most cases, this book uses the broader term SAS data
set.
Note: In addition to the DATA step, several procedures
in base SAS software create a SAS data set as part of their output. You can
also use the FSEDIT and FSVIEW procedures in SAS/FSP to create and edit SAS
data sets.
Copyright 1999 by SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA. All rights reserved.