Date:         Sat, 8 Aug 2009 12:19:37 -0400
Reply-To:     "Keintz, H. Mark" <mkeintz@WHARTON.UPENN.EDU>
Sender:       "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         "Keintz, H. Mark" <mkeintz@WHARTON.UPENN.EDU>
Subject:      Re: Undocumented functions - the answer to a lot of questions
Comments: To: Mike Rhoads <RHOADSM1@WESTAT.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <037AB3FF38D44C4BAFB5DFF3D06B57BA07CDBBE1@EX-CMS01.westat.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"

Mike:

Strange, I heard that due to a small but vociferous subgroup of SAS users objecting to the cost of making these functions more accessible to all SAS users, that they may remain "orphan functions" for some time longer.

Regards,
Mark

> -----Original Message-----
> From: SAS(r) Discussion [mailto:SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf Of
> Mike Rhoads
> Sent: Friday, August 07, 2009 9:59 AM
> To: SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> Subject: Re: Undocumented functions - the answer to a lot of questions
>
> The latest draft of the legislation that I have seen (from a little
> congressional birdie) provides that functions that have been residing
> in the software for a number of years in an undocumented status have to
> "go to the back of the line" and pay a penalty before they can hope to
> become fully documented.
>
> There has also been some discussion of building a large electronic
> fence at the border to keep additional undocumented functions from
> getting in.
>
> Sorry ... it's Friday.   ;-)
>
> Mike Rhoads
> RhoadsM1@Westat.com
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: SAS(r) Discussion [mailto:SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf Of
> Michael Raithel
> Sent: Friday, August 07, 2009 8:15 AM
> To: SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> Subject: Re: Undocumented functions - the answer to a lot of questions
>
>
> Dear SAS-L-ers,
>
> Francois van der Walt posted the following interesting note:
>
> > Dear Friends,
> >
> > Following up on MONOTONIC( ) discussed on this list I came across
> > http://www2.sas.com/proceedings/sugi29/040-29.pdf . It certainly
> > helped me answer some questions that frustrated me over a long
> period.
> >
> > If you do not know what these functions do you are in for a surprise:
> >
> > FUNCTION MONOTONIC( ) IN PROC SQL
> >
> > COLON (:) MODIFIER COUNTERPART IN PROC SQL
> >
> > INDEXW( ) BEHAVIOUR
> >
> > FILE NAME LIMIT IN PROC EXPORT
> >
> > “SECRET” SYSTEM OPTIONS
> >
> > DISPLAY THE OPTIONS BY GROUP
> >
> > REGISTER THE LOCATION OF THE SAS SYSTEM
> >
> > PREVENTING THE APPEARANCE OF THE POP-UP WINDOWS
> >
> > JOIN METHOD CHOSEN BY PROC SQL
> >
> > DATA SETS DISAPPEAR
> >
> > Happy reading!!!
> >
> Francois, thank you very much for a great reference; I just printed a
> copy of Wei Cheng's paper and will have "happy reading" indeed!
>
> BTW, I understand that the SAS Institute is going to take up the issue
> of undocumented functions after the summer congressional recess:-)
>
> Francois, best of luck in all of your SAS endeavors!
>
>
> I hope that this suggestion proves helpful now, and in the future!
>
> Of course, all of these opinions and insights are my own, and do not
> reflect those of my organization or my associates. All SAS code and/or
> methodologies specified in this posting are for illustrative purposes
> only and no warranty is stated or implied as to their accuracy or
> applicability. People deciding to use information in this posting do so
> at their own risk.
>
> +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> Michael A. Raithel
> "The man who wrote the book on performance"
> E-mail: MichaelRaithel@westat.com
>
> Author: Tuning SAS Applications in the MVS Environment
>
> Author: Tuning SAS Applications in the OS/390 and z/OS Environments,
> Second Edition
>
> http://www.sas.com/apps/pubscat/bookdetails.jsp?catid=1&pc=58172
>
>
> Author: The Complete Guide to SAS Indexes
>
> http://www.sas.com/apps/pubscat/bookdetails.jsp?catid=1&pc=60409
>
>
> +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> The danger from computers is not that they will eventually
> get as smart as men, but we will meanwhile agree to meet
> them halfway. - Bernard Avishai
> +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++