TU06
DATA Step Essentials
Invited
Neil Howard
Ingenix Pharmaceutical Services
Abstract:
The DATA step is the most powerful tool in the SAS system. Understanding the internals of DATA step processing, what is happening and why, is crucial in mastering code an output. Concepts you should understand:
§ what is the Logical Program Data Vector (LP
DV or PDV),
§ what are automatic SAS variables and how are they used,
§ what is the SAS Supervisor,
§ why it's important to understand the internals of DATA step processing,
§ what happens at program compile time,
§ what's actually happening at execution t
ime,
§ how are variable attributes captured and stored.
By understanding DATA step processing, you can debug your programs and interpret your results with confidence.
Biography: