SAS P1 L2a

Question 1

What kind of steps in SAS programs? (2)

Answer 1

SAS program = sequence of steps
Each performs test
2 kinds: data, proc

Question 2

What does a data step do?

Answer 2

Data step reads data from input source,
Processes it
Makes SAS data set

Question 3

Primary purpose of data step?

Answer 3

To make SAS data set

Question 4

What is a variable in SAS?

Answer 4

SAS variable = column in data

Question 5

What does a proc step do?

What does it generate?

Answer 5

Proc step:
processes SAS data set
generates reports, graph, manage data, sort

Question 6

SAS program path

Answer 6

Raw data => data step => SAS data file => proc step => report

Question 7

What are steps, in SAS program?
what is a step?
how tell where step start/end?
compilation?

Answer 7

SAS program: sequence of steps
step - comprised of sequence of statements
Each step has beginning and end boundary => step boundaries
Each step compiles and executes independently based on step boundaries

Question 8

How does data step start?

Answer 8

data step - starts with data statement

Question 9

How does proc step start?

Answer 9

proc step - starts with proc statement

Question 10

How does step end? Best practice?

Answer 10

End = RUN, QUIT, or beginning of another step

Best practice to include RUN or QUIT

Question 11

What is a global statement?

Answer 11

Global statement: works on more than one step

Example: TITLE

Question 12

SAS statement:
begins with?
ends with?

Answer 12

SAS statements
begin with identifying KEY WORD
always end with “;” (semicolon)

Question 13

Best practice / conventional formatting?

Answer 13

Data Proc Run - in column 1
other statements indented
each statement begins on new line
blank line separates each step

Question 14

Benefits of conventional formatting? Required?

Answer 14

Benefits - easy to read

Not required - can free format, will still work