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SAS Customer Support: Smart Searching for Fast Answers


Early results from our on-going Customer Support survey indicate that SAS users find our online self-help facilities very useful. Further down this page you'll find an updated listing of SAS Technical Web Links. But first, here are some tips on smart searching.

How many times have you searched online for precise technical information and been presented with masses of results, most of them irrelevant? There are ways to get the information you want more quickly.

Searching the SAS web: a step-by-step guide
Here's an example of a problem: "I'm trying to include the SAS configuration file from the command box or using the command line but I'm getting the following error in the SAS log...
Command ===> inc '!sasroot\sasv8.cfg'
Error: Read access violation in task [Enhanced Editor]

Where can I look to try and resolve this problem?"

Step 1 - choose the appropriate web site

Step 2 - search the appropriate Technical Support site
Step 3 - enter keywords
In the search box specify each keyword separated by spaces. Enclose phrases in quotation marks, e.g. "Integration Technologies". This search returns all pages that contain this phrase. Please note that case is significant. When searching for SAS products by name it's best to use UPPERCASE, e.g. SAS/GRAPH. Using our example, you enter:

read access violation task enhanced editor
(Hits Returned: 8759)

Step 4 - enter as many keywords as possible
Using our example, you enter:

read access violation task enhanced editor winnt include command line
(Hits Returned: 13878)

This search returns all pages that have "read" or "access" or "violation" or "task" or "enhanced" and so on in the text. This type of search often returns a large number of pages. However, pages are ranked so those at the top of the list have the greatest number of occurrences of all the words.

Step 5 - use a plus sign so every word is included in the resulting pages
In our example, you enter:

read +access +violation +task +enhanced +editor +winnt +include +command +line
(Hits Returned: 1)

Here's your answer!
SN-004711 - Error: read access violation in task [Enhanced Editor]
To correct this problem use the full path and not the SAS environment variable !SASROOT.
Fixed in SAS 9.

 
SAS Technical Web Links

Useful links to help you find technical information on your queries:

SAS Notes - a primary source of information used by Technical Support consultants to answer questions from customers: http://support.sas.com/techsup/search/sasnotes.html

Technical Support Documents (aka TS Docs and Technical Notes) - these documents address specific programming problems, processes and product changes, and provide other helpful information: http://support.sas.com/techsup/tnote/technote.html

FAQs - the questions most commonly asked of our Technical Support Staff:
http://support.sas.com/techsup/faq/
and
http://support.sas.com/faq/

SAS Sample Programs - a variety of samples, technical tips and how-to advice:
http://support.sas.com/techsup/sample/sample_library.html

FTP Site - get fixes, technical information and sample programs here: http://support.sas.com/techsup/ftp/download.html

Software, Hot Fixes, Patches and Maintenance - view and download SAS hot fixes and maintenance: http://ftp.sas.com/techsup/download/hotfix/hotfix.html
http://ftp.sas.com/techsup/download/maint/service_packs/servicepacks.html
http://www.sas.com/apps/demosdownloads/setupintro.jsp?listing=cat&sublist=demo
http://www.sas.com/apps/demosdownloads/setupintro.jsp?listing=cat&sublist=maint

Administrator Documentation - resources for SAS administrators including alert notes, installation instructions, setinit instructions and system requirements: http://support.sas.com/documentation/installcenter/admindoc.html

Technical Support News - the latest updates from our Technical Support Division including news about the SASware Ballot.

Documentation - find product-specific documentation by selecting a product name from the list provided. If you do not find documentation for your product, refer to the SAS OnlineDoc for the complete documentation set: http://support.sas.com/documentation/onlinedoc/

SAS/ACCESS Validation - this application provides information on the relationship between your operating system, your DBMS and your SAS release: http://support.sas.com/techsup/access/searchPage.hsql

User Groups - the close relationship between SAS and its customers includes support for many local, regional, international and special interest SAS user groups: http://support.sas.com/usergroups/intro.html

SAS Publishing - SAS Books available online: http://support.sas.com/publishing/index.html

Products & Solutions - a complete list of our products and solutions: http://www.sas.com/products/



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