SAS Tech Report

December 2017
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Dear Reader,

For many of us, the end of the year means holiday celebrations, vacations, and a time to catch your breath and reflect on the year that passed. Here at SAS, though, we’re not ready to slow down just yet. December has been a busy month for us, and as part of my mission to bring you the latest SAS tips, tricks and resources, I thought I’d mention a few significant December happenings that bring good tidings and cheer to SAS® users.

Dec. 12 marked a significant and highly anticipated software release for us, including lots of new SAS® Viya® capabilities. Enhancements to the SAS Platform include multitenancy for all SAS Viya products, a new visual interface that crosses analytics domains and integrates for a consistent experience across the entire analytics life cycle, and the introduction of new products.

New products on SAS Viya include SAS Data Preparation, SAS Visual Text Analytics, SAS Model Manager and SAS Decision Manager, along with enhancements to SAS Visual Forecasting, SAS Visual Analytics, SAS Visual Statistics, SAS Optimization, SAS Econometrics, and SAS Visual Data Mining and Machine Learning. You can learn more about these products by visiting the SAS Viya products webpage. While you’re there, sign up for a trial and take these products on a test drive. Simply hit the “Try it for free” button on a given product page and sign up. You can either use our sample data and demo scripts or, starting on Dec. 21, test-drive these products using your own data! There’s nothing to download; a web browser is all you need.

December also marked the launch of a beta version of a new search engine on our support website. It’s part of our continuing effort to evolve the site and provide you with the best possible user experience. During the beta period, we’d really love to hear what you think of the new search. Use the “Feedback” button and let us know what’s working well, and what isn’t; what you like, and what you don’t. The beta period closes on Jan. 2, so give it a try and let us know what you think.

If you’re hoping to make good on your 2017 resolutions to advance your SAS knowledge, there’s still time to take SAS training or sign up for a SAS certification exam. We’re offering SAS users in the U.S. a special 30% holiday discount off training and certification purchased and taken before Dec. 31. Perfect for the hard-to-buy-for SAS user in your life. Learn more.

Busy time of the year for sure! Enjoy this month’s newsletter, and since it’s not likely that I’ll talk to you again until 2018, happy holidays and best wishes for the new year!

Larry LaRusso
Editor, SAS Tech Report
Follow me @lalaru102

SAS^® Tips and Tricks

Learn more about SAS® Viya®

The blog post “Top 12 Advantages of SAS Viya” does a great job of outlining why you might want to start taking advantage of SAS Viya capabilities on the SAS Platform. In this article, we bring your attention to a number of helpful SAS Viya resources from SAS Education. These how-to videos, as well as e-learning and classroom courses, can help you learn more about SAS Viya, its capabilities and supported products.

SAS/ACCESS®: Universal SAS® Methods to Access Just About Any Data, Anywhere

This Ask the Expert session illustrates two universal SAS syntax methods for reading and writing database tables: SQL pass-through and the SAS ACCESS LIBNAME method. You'll see examples of executing these methods, emphasizing the consistency of the SAS syntax and making it easy for you to apply these methods to any required database.

Controlling your formats

The CNTLIN option enables you to create user-defined formats from a SAS data set (input control data set). The CNTLOUT option enables you to create a SAS data set (output control data set) containing format details from an entry in a SAS format catalog. In this post, Jerry Leonard provides a few examples demonstrating how to use the CNTLIN option and shows how to use the CNTLOUT option to store your format information in case you need to move to a new operating environment.

Understanding User Authentication

Learn about the process of authentication when logging on to a SAS client application, as well as when accessing data through program code or generated code through the SAS client interface. Topics include host authentication, integrated Windows authentication, metadata identities, internal accounts and internal authentication, authentication to the workspace server, SAS token authentication, and much more.

Tricks for importing text files in SAS® Enterprise Guide®

The Import Data task in SAS Enterprise Guide is noted for its support of text-based files (CSV, tab delimited, fixed width and more). There's no faster method for generating SAS code that reads your data exactly the way you need it. In this article, Chris Hemedinger reviews a few of the neat features and cool things that this task can do for you.

Fun with ODS Graphics: Animating text

Typically, we use PROC SGPLOT along with a BY statement to create animations. Each BY group contains one frame of the animation. In this animation, Warren Kuhfeld shows you how to animate text. Each frame must contain everything that was in the previous frame plus one more letter than previously appeared. You can do this in several ways; Warren shows you the way he prefers and delivers a nice holiday message along the way.

Top 10 SAS® support resources

This Ask the Expert webinar shows you various support resources, including support.sas.com, the main SAS support site. You also learn about SAS blogs, SAS Communities, and video and thought leader sites. Great information for novices and experts alike.

SAS® Data Preparation 2.1: Data quality transformations

SAS Data Preparation 2.1 is now available and it includes the ability to perform data quality transformations on your data using the definitions from the SAS Quality Knowledge Base (QKB). Out-of-the-box QKB definitions include the ability to perform data quality operations on items such as name, address, phone and email.

From SAS® Communities

Updating Managed Passwords

Need to update passwords in the SAS Platform? No problem, as long as you follow a few important steps. This SAS Communities library article provides tips and key takeaways to help you learn more about the process for successfully updating managed passwords.

8 Tips to Prepare to Take a SAS® Certification Exam

If you've been thinking about taking a SAS certification exam, you likely have a lot of questions about how best to prepare. Does it make sense to take a review class, a practice exam, review one of the SAS Certification Prep Guides, all of the above? In this article, Certification Developer Matt Scicchitano shares his top 8 tips to increase the likelihood of success.

Code Like It Matters: Best Practices From Software Engineering, Applied to SAS® Programming

Whether a programmer works individually, on a team, or on a project basis, there are a number of best practices from traditional software engineering that can be leveraged to improve their SAS code. This article from SAS Communities contributor @paulkaefer provides an overview of some best practices to make it easier to read, maintain, and understand/remember why the code is written the way it is.

SAS® News

Conquer any new analytics challenge with the newest enhancements to the SAS® Platform

Dec. 12 marked the highly-anticipated release of lots of new SAS Viya capabilities. Enhancements to the SAS Platform include multitenancy for all SAS Viya products, a new visual interface that crosses analytics domains and integrates for a consistent experience across the entire analytics life cycle, the introduction of new products and more. Learn more about the new release and sign up for a trial of these new products.

Python, maps, and much more accompany new SAS University Edition release

There’s lots of new functionality in the latest release of SAS University Edition…and it’s still free! Learn all about the new features, tasks, procedures, and how to download or update your copy.

SAS^® Tech Report

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