TU12 The SAS Debugging Primer     Invited

Frank C. DiIorio
CodeCrafters, Inc.
Abstract: Meet an accomplished SAS programmer and you meet someone who's probably learned by making (and fixing) lots of mistakes along the way. The breadth of the SAS System's target applications, the variety of its "dialects" (Base SAS, macro, SCL, IML, SQL), and the quirky procedural/non-procedural environmental mix conspire to make mastery of the SAS System a slippery slope to ascend. Debugging is the art of gracefully recovering and learning from falls during the ascent. This paper discusses techniques for debugging SAS programs. Its purpose is two-fold. First, it provides behavioral and technical tips for fixing code (how to read error messages in the SAS Log, knowing when there is a problem with the program even if SAS says there isn't, using the DATA step debugger, identifying system options, using PROCs for data validation, using macro variables to control debugging output, etc.) The second focus of the paper is its presentation of design and coding methods that make the programming process more reli able, thus reducing the need for debugging in the first place. The paper's target audience is relative newcomers to the SAS System. More seasoned users may find or rediscover some of the techniques and features being discussed. Emphasis is placed on B ase SAS and the macro language, although the techniques themselves are applicable to SCL and other products.

Biography:
Frank DiIorio is Director, SAS System Development at Advanced Integrated Manufacturing Solutions Corporation (AIMS), a manufacturing systems integrator. He has over 25 years' experience with Base SAS and products such as SAS/GRAPH, SAS/AF, SAS/GRAPH, SAS/Q C, SAS/Intrnet, and SAS/FSP. He has worked in educational research, financial, pharmaceutical, and manufacturing environments, focusing on program efficiency, report writing, the macro language, and user interface design issues. Much of the knowledge gaine d from these varied work environments has been committed to paper - he has written many papers presented at local, regional, and international SAS user groups. Frank is also the author of two SAS programming texts, which have sold over 25,000 copies ("SAS Applications Programming: A Gentle Introduction" and, co-authored with Kenneth Hardy, "Quick Start to Data Analysis with SAS"). A third book, "The Elements of SAS Programming Style," is being developed and will be available in 2002. Frank is also active in