Reading Messy Data-section 2.10

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Reading Messy Data-section 2.10

• Can use the _at_ symbol to with characters, along
  with the colon modifier, to help with messy data
  (no predictable lengths, data doesnt line up)
• The colon () placed before an informat causes
  SAS to read that value til it reaches a blank
  space (or completes the requisite number of
  columns). See how this is used in the example
  on page 49
• INPUT _at_'' AccessDate DATE11. _at_'GET File 20.
• reads 2 variables, the second one modified by
  the modifier

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• Multiple lines of data per observation can be
  handled with either the / pointer or the n
  pointer in the INPUT line
• the / pointer moves the input to the next line
• the n pointer moves the input to the n-th line
• Multiple Observations per Line of raw data can be
  read by using the _at__at_ at the end of the INPUT
  statement. This line-hold specifier says
  once youve read one observation hold the pointer
  and read another see the example on page 52 -
  note multiple observations on the same line
• HW Make sure youve read through section 2.12
  and have worked through the examples next time
  well go over your questions in detail

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Permanent SAS datasets

• Permanent SAS datasets are formed in your SAS
  programs by so naming them in the DATA name_here
  statement... They are saved permanently with
  all the variable names and formats, etc. that you
  created when you ran the DATA step... Try this
  with Dr. Padgetts dataset. See Section 2.19,
  pages 66-67 for a complete discussion.
• We can make permanent SAS datasets and recall
  them back to our SAS programs through the LIBNAME
  statements as follows...

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• Try this...
• options ls80
• dm output 'CLEAR' dm log 'CLEAR'
• LIBNAME SAVE c\Documents "
• DATA SAVE.PADGETT
• INFILE whereever
• INPUT ... RUN
• proc print datasave.padgett run quit
• Now to retrieve it with SET statement...
• LIBNAME mylib C\Documents "
• DATA again SET mylib.padgett run
• proc print dataagain run