It's more useful to think of SAS datasets as relational data tables with rows and columms (rows = observations, columns = variables). PROC CONTENTS can be used to describe the table attributes.

Tools which deal with relational databases can work with SAS datasets using the ODBC drivers (and SAS/Share on the mainframe). This includes MS Access, MS Excel, BrioQuery, Seagate Crystal Reports, ACL, etc..

SAS itself includes a PROC SQL if your used to working with SQL code.

Nested strucutres such as you see in COBOL are not supported in SAS datasets directly, but with SQL and joins you can get to the same place (1:N, N:1 relationships).

--------------------------------------------------------- Michael S Hines | Phone 765-494-5875 Purdue University | FAX 765-496-1380 Management Information | Email mshines@purdue.edu OS/390 Systems Programmer | Certifications: 1061 Freehafer Hall | CIA, CISA, CFE, CDP West Lafayette, IN 47907-1061 |

-----Original Message----- From: SAS(r) Discussion [mailto:SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU]On Behalf Of Abakah Nori (crm1nxa) Sent: Thursday, June 14, 2001 4:43 PM To: SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU Subject: Data Structures in SAS

As a former Cobol and Natural programmer, I was wondering if data structures are supported in Base SAS? If so, can you show me an example?

old habits die hard, sometimes... :)

Thanks Nori