Module 1: Basics

Question 1

Define a SAS Statement

Answer 1

is a SAS language element used to perform a particular operation in a SAS program or to provide info to a SAS program

Question 2

T/F: SAS statements are not case senstive.

Answer 2

True (unless enclosed in quotes)

Question 3

T/F: Statements cannot continue over several lines.

Answer 3

False: its free format

Question 4

What are the two types of steps?

Answer 4

1) Data steps that can manipulate data
2) Proc steps that helps analyze data

Question 5

Define a global statement.

Answer 5

A statement that can be used throughout a program until its changed, cancelled, or SAS ends.
Ex. title, libname, options

Question 6

What happends when the RUN statement is not used a the end of a data step?

Answer 6

SAS assumes that the beginning of a new step implies the end of a previous step.

Question 7

Why should you include the run statement at the end of a step?

Answer 7

Helps makes statements and log easier to read

Question 8

What are the naming rules for SAS files?

Answer 8

1) Must begin with a letter or an underscore
2) can be any combination of letters,numbers, or underscores
3) can be 1-32 characters long

Question 9

What is a SAS library?

Answer 9

A storage unit for SAS system files.

Question 10

What are temporary files and their properties?

Answer 10

Temporary and end when SAS section closes
Default is WORK unless specified.
Can be referenced by name only.

Question 11

What are permanent Files and their properties?

Answer 11

Available after the end of the current session.
Must define library and then tell SAS to store there.

Question 12

What are the rules to library names?

Answer 12

1)Begin with a letter or underscore
2) Can continue with other combinations of letters, numbers, or underscores.
3) Can by 1-8 characters long
4) Must be assigned in each SAS session

Question 13

Write the syntax to creating libraries.

Answer 13

libname NAME ‘PATH’;

capital letters means that is what you name it.
Lowercase is actual code

Question 14

Write the syntax to reference a permanent file.

Answer 14

LIBREF.FILENAME

Question 15

Write the syntax to reference an externam file

Answer 15

filename FILEREF ‘path’;

Question 16

What are the naming rules for filenames?

Answer 16

Same as librefs
(begin with letter/underscore, 1-8 characters long, assigned in each SAS session)

Question 17

What are the naming rules to SAS variables?

Answer 17

Same as data set names

Question 18

What are the two basic variable types and their properties?

Answer 18

1)Numeric: default length 8 bytes and stored as floating-point numbers. Informat: w.d

2)Character: 1-32,767 bytes long. Informat: $w.

Question 19

Write the syntax to directing log and output windows to external files.

Define and proc print code

Answer 19

filename logfile ‘path.log’;
filename lstfile ‘path.lst’;
filename loglst ‘path.loglist’;

proc printo log= logfile print list=lstfile new;
run;

Question 20

What does the ‘proc printto’ command do?

Answer 20

Redirects output to the log and output windows