SFBAY0001 wrote in message <20000625223302.18187.00001245@ng-fs1.aol.com>...

lotsa stuff snipped for brevity

>I agree, but, when you consider what the poster's boss wants: >>My supervisor is more insistant that a >look at the PDV shows the merged >>variables showing up in that order. >This clearly suggests that "management" is clueless about both how the SAS >System works with variable _and_ also unclear as to how much unnecessary time >will be spent by their subordinates creating such data sets for no good reason. > Ask me again why I am an independent consultant....!

Has no one ever argued with a boss before? In my experience, it's quite possible to go head to head on a technical issue and come out on top, if you know what you're talking about. Especially if the boss doesn't.