December 11th, 2008: “Modernizing Your SAS Code, or How to Avoid Becoming a SAS Dinosaur”
by Warren Repole
New features of the SAS programming language often permit the replacement of complex algorithms and clunky workarounds with more elegant code. Some enhancements support the creation of more efficient solutions. Occasionally, optimal techniques have existed for a while, but they have been overlooked or underutilized. Whether you are a SAS programmer with many years of experience or a novice user who is responsible for maintaining legacy programs, implementing updated approaches may allow you to streamline your SAS applications, expedite the development and debugging process, and minimize future maintenance of the code. This seminar covers a wide range of discrete tasks with programming solutions involving the DATA step, Base SAS procedures, formats and functions, SAS macro language, SAS/GRAPH, and the SAS/ACCESS interface to PC files. While some of the solutions exploit SAS 9.2 enhancements, many of them rely on features introduced in earlier SAS releases. The examples are adapted from Warren Repole’s book, Don’t Be a SAS® Dinosaur: Modernize Your SAS Code.
