Mike,

You can find the documentation on Proc Contents in the "SAS Procedures Guide". In the one I have (version 6, 3rd edition), Chapter 12 is entitled "The Contents Procedure".

As far as why you haven't heard of it, its probably because SAS is such a multi-faceted environment that no one is really familiar with it in its entirety. Personally, I use this particular procedure a lot, however, I have to admit that people on this list often talk about procedures I've never heard of. SAS is a pretty powerful language, and I guess I'm able to accomplish an awful lot with it even though I probably only regularly use a very very small subset of the procedures that are available.

Claudia

p.s. - I am a programmer of the generic variety, so I virtually never understand a word that the statisticians are saying, and I know I haven't used most of the procedures they use.

>>> "Michael A. Raithel" <MICHAEL.RAITHEL@RAITHM49.CUSTOMS.SPRINT.COM> 07/20/98 12:40pm >>> Claudia Bullock set the record straight by posting the following:

>Mike, > >The term "Record Layout" does not refer to statistics such >as data created, record format, record length, and >blocksize. A record layout is documentation that includes >the name and type of the data elements (variables) that >make up the records (observations) in a file. The Proc >Contents procedure produces output which is SAS's version >of a record layout. > >In my earlier post (perhaps you missed it), I explained >how Proc Contents could be used to get a "record layout" >for a file even if you only have the DSN, and don't know >the internal SAS member name of the file you are >interested in. >

Claud,

Oh, all right; Now I get it! Great! I've just printed your message so that I won't forget the definition.

If I had known that _YOU_ had posted earlier, then it obviously would have been superfluous for me to attempt an answer. I guess that I have a lot to learn about computer terms, SAS software, and the MVS operating system!

So, where can I find documentation on this "Proc Contents" of yours? And, why haven't I ever heard of it before?

Of course, all of these opinions and insights are my own, and do not reflect those of my organization or my associates.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Michael A. Raithel "The man who wrote the book on performance" E-mail: maraithel@mcimail.com Author: Tuning SAS Applications in the MVS Environment +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ...and if I swallow anything evil, put your fingers down my throat... +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++