Date: Wed, 11 Sep 2002 01:59:16 GMT
Reply-To: Arthur Tabachneck <atabachneck@ROGERS.COM>
Sender: "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From: Arthur Tabachneck <atabachneck@ROGERS.COM>
Subject: Re: SASWare Ballot Items
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As a researcher, statistician and manager of SAS programmers, my desires =
for future SAS versions probably differs from the typical requests. =
This, by the way, is a cc of a message I am sending to suggest@sas.com.=20
The things I would like to see include:
1. a free, downloadable update to earlier SAS versions that allows the =
user to read newer versions of SAS. This has become critical, as I =
often exchange data with other users and, if we are not all using the =
same version, we can't read each other's files.
2. a converter, of sorts, that converts SAS AF code into code that can =
be run directly by SAS without the need to recompile the code.
3. an object oriented routine, such as Microsoft's screen/record =
generator for Access, for building SAS data file entry routines.
4. an object oriented routine for modifying and standardizing the look =
of any procedure's output.
5. on-line versions of all manuals. I'd much rather pay for =
electornically searchable manuals, than either the full printed =
documentation (which I've bought) or the currently available so-called =
help routines. Maybe, of course, I just haven't figured out how to use =
them efficiently, but neither have my staff.
Art
"Kevin Myers" <KevinMyers@AUSTIN.RR.COM> wrote in message =
news:003a01c25448$6998df40$65c8a8c0@gusher...
Hello,
I would like to suggest the following items for this year's SASWare =
Ballot. These features have long been needed in SAS, however a recent =
thread on the SAS-L listserve raised them to the front of my mind once =
again:
1. Provide built-in support for surrogate keys in SAS tables, =
including automatic key generation for all new records that are added to =
a table in any manner.
2. Allow the same column to be used as part of both a primary key and =
a foreign key when defining the integrity constraints for a SAS table. =
This is critically needed to support tables that are hierarchichally =
related.
3. Provide support for cascading deletes when defining the integrity =
constraints for a SAS table.
4. Provide support for triggers when defining the integrity =
constraints for a SAS table.
5. Provide support for directly accessing data in BLOBs, especially =
when accessing data from the many third party DBMS that have supported =
them for a long time now.
6. Provide support for page level SAS data set compression using a =
fast and highly efficient compression algorithm such as Lempel-Ziv that =
can effectively compress out column values that are duplicated across =
multiple observations (e.g upper levels of composite primary keys, =
foreign keys, etc.).
7. Provide support for a view definition based on SAS MP Connect =
capabilities which would allow multiple PROC and DATA steps as part of =
the view processing. A designated table (libname.memname) resulting =
from the PROC and DATA step processing would provide the data for the =
view. This would allow complex processing to be initiated by a user by =
simply referencing the stored view definition anywhere else in SAS that =
a view can typically be referenced.
Thanks for your consideration.
Kevin A. Myers
Certified SAS Developer V6
Myers Engineering
Round Rock, Texas
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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>As a researcher, statistician and =
manager of SAS=20
programmers, my desires for future SAS versions probably differs from =
the=20
typical requests. This, by the way, is a cc of a message I am =
sending to=20
<A =
href=3D"mailto:suggest@sas.com">suggest@sas.com</A>. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>The things I would like to see=20
include:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>1. a free, downloadable update to =
earlier SAS=20
versions that allows the user to read newer versions of SAS. This =
has=20
become critical, as I often exchange data with other users and, if we =
are not=20
all using the same version, we can't read each other's =
files.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>2. a converter, of sorts, that =
converts SAS=20
AF code into code that can be run directly by SAS without the need to =
recompile=20
the code.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>3. an object oriented routine, =
such as=20
Microsoft's screen/record generator for Access, for building SAS data =
file entry=20
routines.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>4. an object oriented routine for =
modifying=20
and standardizing the look of any procedure's output.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>5. on-line versions of all =
manuals. I'd=20
much rather pay for electornically searchable manuals, than either the =
full=20
printed documentation (which I've bought) or the currently available =
so-called=20
help routines. Maybe, of course, I just haven't figured out how to =
use=20
them efficiently, but neither have my staff.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Art</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=3Dltr=20
style=3D"PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV>"Kevin Myers" <<A=20
=
href=3D"mailto:KevinMyers@AUSTIN.RR.COM">KevinMyers@AUSTIN.RR.COM</A>>=
wrote=20
in message <A=20
=
href=3D"news:003a01c25448$6998df40$65c8a8c0@gusher">news:003a01c25448$699=
8df40$65c8a8c0@gusher</A>...</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Hello,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I would like to suggest the following =
items for=20
this year's SASWare Ballot. These features have long =
been needed in=20
SAS, however a recent thread on the SAS-L listserve raised them to the =
front=20
of my mind once again:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>1. Provide built-in support for =
surrogate keys in=20
SAS tables, including automatic key generation for all new records =
that are=20
added to a table in any manner.</FONT><FONT face=3DArial =
size=3D2></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>2. Allow the same column to be used =
as part of=20
both a primary key and a foreign key when defining the integrity =
constraints=20
for a SAS table. This is critically needed to support tables =
that are=20
hierarchichally related.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>3. Provide support for cascading =
deletes when=20
defining the integrity constraints for a SAS table.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>4. Provide support for triggers when =
defining the=20
integrity constraints for a SAS table.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV><FONT face=3DArial =
size=3D2>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>5. Provide support for directly =
accessing data in=20
BLOBs, especially when accessing data from the many third party DBMS =
that have=20
supported them for a long time now.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV>6. Provide support for page level SAS data set compression using =
a fast=20
and highly efficient compression algorithm such as Lempel-Ziv that can =
effectively compress out column values that are duplicated across =
multiple observations (e.g upper levels of composite primary keys, =
foreign=20
keys, etc.).</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>7. Provide support for a view definition based on SAS MP Connect=20
capabilities which would allow multiple PROC and DATA steps as part of =
the=20
view processing. A designated table (libname.memname) resulting =
from the=20
PROC and DATA step processing would provide the data for the =
view. =20
This would allow complex processing to be initiated by a user by =
simply=20
referencing the stored view definition anywhere else in SAS that =
a view=20
can typically be referenced.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Thanks for your consideration.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Kevin A. Myers</DIV>
<DIV>Certified SAS Developer V6</DIV>
<DIV>Myers Engineering</DIV>
<DIV>Round Rock, Texas</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV></FONT> </DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>
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