Mike,

Let me make a suggestion (aka rant):

"Allow users to create their own functions rather than continuing to add to the extensive number that are already there. That way, companies can create libraries of functions that are specific to their needs or make them available for sale to other SAS users. Functions should be able to be added in any language that can make a compiled binary ".

We don't need a new format/informat but callable functions within SAS and a means to implement them. SAS/Toolkit is very long in the tooth and we can't use modern languages with it. Plus, SAS continues to charge money for something that does nothing but benefit their base. Make Toolkit free and update it so we can use Perl/C#/Java/etc. with it. You don't have to support every platform with every language, we understand that, but let us have the ability to extend SAS.

Alan

Alan Churchill Savian www.savian.net

-----Original Message----- From: SAS(r) Discussion [mailto:SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf Of Mike Rhoads Sent: Monday, February 11, 2008 8:10 AM To: SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU Subject: Re: IP-address processing?

Ben,

I've just submitted the following as a SASWare ballot suggestion -- we'll see if it shows up on the ballot for next year.

"Add an informat and format, IPADDR, for reading IP addresses into a numeric variable and then writing them back out again."

Mike Rhoads Westat RhoadsM1@Westat.com

-----Original Message----- From: owner-sas-l@listserv.uga.edu [mailto:owner-sas-l@listserv.uga.edu] On Behalf Of Ben Conner Sent: Monday, February 11, 2008 9:40 AM To: SAS-L@listserv.uga.edu Subject: Re: IP-address processing?

ben.powell@CLA.CO.UK wrote:

>Would it really be handier? Its not like you need to add them and subtract >them, but check if they are unique or match another record. In which case >either storing as text or in 4 numeric fields that can be printed as text >with the concatenating dots - can you write a format to do this? - should >be ok... What else do you do where not having a numeric format is causing a >problem? > > The biggest issue is with sorting. Numeric versions would sort properly whereas text equivalents typically don't. Also, were I to develop a format/informat pair, I would also include a netmask feature. Hey, I can always dream... ;-)

Thanks for the reference!

--Ben

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