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Learn SAS

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Learn SAS

Rick WicklinFebruary 11, 2013 0

How the J function got its name

In linear algebra, the I symbol is used to denote an n x n identity matrix. The symbol J (or sometimes 1) is used to denote an n x p matrix of ones. When the SAS/IML language was implemented, the I function was defined to generate the identity matrix. The J function was defined

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Learn SAS

Shelly GoodinFebruary 8, 2013 0

SAS author's tip: SAS/ACCESS interface to Microsoft SQL server

This week's SAS tip is from Frederick Pratter and his book Web Development with SAS by Example, Third Edition. The many real-world examples in the book guide lend it to being frequently excerpted on this blog! Previously featured tips include: Formatting XML documents, Configuring TCP security, and SQL pass-through. The following excerpt is from SAS

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Learn SAS | Programming Tips

Charu ShankarFebruary 4, 2013 0

A database professional’s best friend

To optimize a Structured Query Language (SQL), the database professional must befriend this order and perhaps even embrace it. Who is your best friend? I’m talking about the order in which SQL processes your statements. Simply put, in what order does SQL do your work? (From my previous post you

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Learn SAS

Rick WicklinFebruary 4, 2013 0

Simulate discrete variables by using the "Table" distribution

I wanted to write a blog post about the "Table distribution" in SAS. The Table distribution, which is supported by the RAND and the RANDGEN function, enables you to specify the probability of selecting each of k items. Therefore you can use the Table distribution to sample, with replacement, from

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Learn SAS

Data Quality for Analytics Using SAS

Shelly GoodinFebruary 1, 2013 0

SAS author's tip: Outlier detection with ARIMA(X) models

This week's tip is from Gerhard Svolba and his book Data Quality for Analytics Using SAS. Gerhard is a product manager and pre-sales consultant at SAS in Austria, where he specializes in analytics and customer intelligence. Visit his author page to learn more about him and his work. The following excerpt is

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Learn SAS | Programming Tips

Andy RavennaJanuary 30, 2013 0

An easy way to find variables in common to data sets

Over the holidays I was having a discussion with my cat, Ms. Trixie Lou. A question that often arises during the first programming class is the following: how do I find the variables that are in common to these two or three data sets? As it turns out, Ms. Trixie

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Learn SAS

Rick WicklinJanuary 30, 2013 0

Oh, those pesky temporary variables!

The SAS/IML language secretly creates temporary variables. Most of the time programmers aren't even aware that the language does this. However, there is one situation where if you don't think carefully about temporary variables, your program will silently produce an error. And as every programmer knows, silent wrong numbers are

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Learn SAS

Shelly GoodinJanuary 25, 2013 0

SAS author's tip: Adding data with a SELECT query

This week's SAS tip is from Kirk Lafler and his book PROC SQL: Beyond the Basics Using SAS. A SAS user since 1979, Kirk often takes his expertise on the road and is a frequent speaker at SAS conferences. He's also currently working on a second edition of the book. If

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Learn SAS

Rick WicklinJanuary 23, 2013 0

Breaking bad programming habits. What's yours?

I like to be efficient in my SAS/IML programs, but sometimes I get into bad habits. Recently I realized that I was reshaping a bunch of SAS/IML row vectors because I wanted to write them to a SAS data set. This is completely unnecessary! The SAS/IML language will create a

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Learn SAS

Shelley Sessoms

Shelley SessomsJanuary 21, 2013 0

The book writing business: Finding time to write with Emmett Cox

Welcome to my new blog series, The Book Writing Business. Throughout the year, I will introduce topics and questions related to writing a book. Oftentimes, I'll give you my take on them. But more importantly, you'll hear directly from our authors. They'll tell you why they write for SAS Press

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Learn SAS

Rick WicklinJanuary 21, 2013 0

Reading big data in the SAS/IML language

A SAS/IML user on a discussion forum was trying to read data into a SAS/IML matrix, but the data was so large that it would not fit into memory. (Recall that SAS/IML matrices are kept in RAM.) After a few questions, it turned out that the user was trying to

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Learn SAS

Maggie MillerJanuary 15, 2013 0

Stat Wars goes Hollywood

The guys of Stat Wars are battling it out again. This time they’re helping a viewer who needs to determine which stunt doubles to hire by predicting their performance using SAS. Watch and then vote on whether Danny Modlin or Marc Huber has the best solution for finding the right

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Learn SAS

Julie PlattJanuary 15, 2013 0

Setting new goals? Come grow with us!

It’s that time of year when we all reflect on our accomplishments and consider what our next great moves will be. Maybe you’ve been wondering how you could have a greater impact on the SAS user community, develop your SAS skills further, impress your boss, maybe even become famous in

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Learn SAS

Rick WicklinJanuary 7, 2013 0

Getting started with the SAS/IML language: A free hands-on workshop

I am pleased to announce that this year at SAS Global Forum 2013 (San Francisco, April 27 to May 1, 2013) I am giving a free hands-on workshop (HOW) entitled "Getting Started with the SAS/IML Language." If you are not familiar with the very popular Hands-On Workshop series at SAS

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Learn SAS

Shelly GoodinJanuary 4, 2013 0

SAS author's tip: Computing some useful constants

This first SAS tip of 2013 comes from the illustrious Ron Cody and his bestselling book Learning SAS by Example: A Programmer's Guide. I hope you'll find this excerpt helpful- as well as all of our future weekly tips on this blog. Here's to a great year! The following excerpt is from SAS Press

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Advanced Analytics | Learn SAS

Rick WicklinJanuary 3, 2013 0

12 Tips for SAS Statistical Programmers

It's the start of a new year. Have you made a resolution to be a better data analyst? A better SAS statistical programmer? To learn more about multivariate statistics? What better way to start the New Year than to read (or re-read!) the top 12 articles for statistical programmers from

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Learn SAS

Maggie MillerJanuary 2, 2013 0

Top 10 blogs of 2012

We decided to take a look back at our blogs in 2012 and see what piqued the interest of our readers. We had a little bit of everything from tricks to advice on all things SAS. Here’s the list of the Top 10 Blogs from 2012. Enjoy reading them again

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Learn SAS

Shelly GoodinDecember 20, 2012 0

12 bestselling SAS books of 2012

With their mass SAS appeal, these twelve books packed a powerful punch in 2012. From SAS and JMP basics to more advanced applications, to SAS certification, to business intelligence - these titles cover a range of users' interests. Did you use any of these titles this year? Do you have any predictions for popular book topics

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Learn SAS | Programming Tips

Charu ShankarDecember 20, 2012 0

3 gifts to magically transform your data

‘Tis the season to be gifting! So what could be better than gifting your fellow SAS user or yourself with three gifts to celebrate the holiday season? As 2012 comes to an end, we think it’s a great idea to be thinking of ringing in the New Year with dynamic

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Learn SAS

Nele CogheDecember 19, 2012 0

Warming up for the International Year of Statistics with some “statistique à la française” on the Nobel Prize winners

Are you ready for the upcoming International Year of Statistics? I have prepared myself by doing a correspondence analysis. Excusez-moi? Correspondence analysis is a technique that has been very popular in France and is therefore sometimes referred to as French Statistics. Correspondence analysis is a technique for categorical data analysis.

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Learn SAS

Dan ObermillerDecember 17, 2012 0

How to make better data-based decisions

Many companies are stressing the use of analytics and have a desire to make data-based decisions. But what kind of training should one take to enhance their abilities to meet this broad objective? Certainly some advanced training on statistical techniques would be helpful. But understanding how to manage a project

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Learn SAS

Kathy CouncilDecember 14, 2012 0

Spreading joy and access to information around the globe

Unlike a certain man in a red suit who, single-handedly, delivers presents around the world, SAS Publications relies on a network of people and partnerships to bring you the information you need; wherever you live! Whether you’re in Bangkok, Brussels, or Boston, access to the product documentation is easily accessible

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Learn SAS

Maggie MillerDecember 11, 2012 0

It’s war… Stat Wars!

There’s a new video series launching in the SAS Education department unlike anything that’s ever been done before. It’s called Stat Wars. Here’s how it works… two SAS instructors go head-to-head and battle it out over a statistics challenge. (So far no injuries have been reported.) It’s educational and engaging,

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Learn SAS

In the Know...SAS Tips and Techniques From Around the Globe

Shelly GoodinDecember 7, 2012 0

SAS author's tip: Creating permanent data sets

This week's SAS tip is from Phil Mason and his ever-popular book In the Know...SAS Tips and Techniques From Around the Globe, Second Edition. In a review, SAS user Ian Whitlock said "Phil Mason is the grand master in the art of the SAS software tip." It was definitely difficult picking just one excerpt to

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Learn SAS

Shelley Sessoms

Shelley SessomsNovember 29, 2012 0

Want to see your name in lights- or at least on a list?

We've been busy this year producing books for SAS users. Take a look at our Upcoming Titles list. These are just a few of the titles we have going right now. You've seen me promote specific topics throughout the year. Now is your chance to tell me where your experience

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Learn SAS

Julie PlattNovember 27, 2012 0

Which SAS books would be on your ideal bookshelf?

David Sedaris, a native of Raleigh, NC, who has made it big as a humorist and author, recently posted his “Ideal Bookshelf” on Facebook. The picture was created by a company called Ideal Bookshelf, which “paints portraits of people through the spines of their favorite books: the ones that changed

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Learn SAS

The Little SAS Book for Enterprise Guide 4.2

Shelly GoodinNovember 20, 2012 0

SAS author's tip: Combining tables using SAS Enterprise Guide

This week's SAS tip is from Susan Slaughter and Lora Delwiche's bestselling The Little SAS Book for Enterprise Guide 4.2. Susan and Lora are revered in the user community. And their work continues to help SAS users throughout the world. I hope you'll also find value in this week's excerpt. The following excerpt is from

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Data Visualization | Learn SAS

Robert AllisonNovember 19, 2012 0

Talking Turkey with SAS Graphs

Have you heard the expression "Talk Turkey"? Well then, what better (tongue-in-cheek) thing to do around the Thanksgiving holiday, than talk some turkey using SAS Graphs! ;) I don't usually decorate my graphs with images and pictures (they typically make the graph more difficult to read), but when it comes

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Learn SAS

Rick WicklinNovember 19, 2012 0

Beware the naked LOC

The LOC function is one of the most important functions in the SAS/IML language. The LOC function finds elements of a vector or matrix that satisfy some condition. For example, if you are going to apply a logarithmic transform to data, you can use the LOC function to find all

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Learn SAS | Programming Tips

Charu ShankarNovember 14, 2012 0

Next best thing since sliced bread - SAS Enterprise Guide

I recently had a student in a SAS Enterprise Guide class declare that EG was the next best thing since sliced bread. I couldn't have agreed with her more! In this post, I‘ll share four ways where EG outperforms SAS code –yes I know you’re a codeaholic dear reader, but these reasons

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