Chapter Contents
Previous
Next
Doing More with SAS/ASSIST Software

Using SAS/ASSIST Software with This Book

For the examples in this book, we disabled the date and time stamp from all output, and we disabled the Save Changes dialog box that appears by default when you exit a task window. We also use the same sample tables that were used in Getting Started with the SAS System Using SAS/ASSIST Software. For convenience, we have reprinted here the instructions for disabling the date and time stamp, disabling the Save Changes dialog box, and creating the SAS/ASSIST sample tables and the AIRLINE sample tables.

Removing the Date and Time Stamp from Your Output

To remove the date and time stamp from your output, follow this selection path from the SAS/ASSIST WorkPlace menu or any task window menu bar:

Edit
[arrow]
 Page Headers
[arrow]
 Print Current Date

Note:   This option is not applicable to graphics output and is not available on graphics task windows. Also, the date and time stamp are disabled for the duration of the current SAS session; they will be enabled the next time you invoke the SAS System.  [cautionend]

Disabling the Save Changes Dialog Box

To disable the Save Changes dialog box, the SAS/ASSIST user profile option Confirm changes is set to No. To set this option, do the following:

  1. Follow this selection path:

    Tasks
    [arrow]
    		 Setup
    [arrow]
    		 Profiles
    [arrow]
    		 User
    The User Profile window appears.

  2. In the Value field for the Confirm changes option, type 
    no
    and press ENTER.

  3. Follow this selection path to save the profile change:

    File
    [arrow]
    		 Close

If you do not set this option to No, you are presented with a Save Changes dialog box every time you exit a task window.

Creating the SAS/ASSIST Sample Tables

  1. To create or re-create the sample tables, follow this selection path:

    Tasks
    [arrow]
    		 Setup
    [arrow]
    		 File Management
    [arrow]
    		 Sample tables...
    The Sample Tables window appears.

  2. Select Create sample tables... from the Sample Tables window. The Create Sample Tables window appears.

  3. Select the tables you want to create. For the exercises in this book, select all the tables.

  4. Select OK. The sample tables are created. Depending on your hardware and operating environment, this may take several minutes. When the process is complete, a message appears that indicates that all the tables were created.

  5. Select Goback twice to return to the WorkPlace menu.

Note:   If you are re-creating sample tables (rather than creating them for the first time), and you attempt to re-create a table that is the currently active table in one or more SAS/ASSIST tasks, you get an error message because SAS/ASSIST software does not let you re-create an active table. To remove a table from active status, follow these steps:

  1. Use the Tasks menu to go to the desired task window.

  2. Select Table. The Select Table window appears.

  3. Select Reset, and then select OK. The task window reappears with the Table field cleared.

  [cautionend]

Creating the AIRLINE Sample Tables

  1. If you are using the OS/390 or CMS operating environments, continue to step 2. Otherwise, create a library, directory, or folder, depending on your operating environment, where you want the AIRLINE sample tables to reside. You may name this library or directory anything you want, but the name sampltab is used in these examples. See the SAS companion for your operating environment, or contact the SAS Software Consultant at your site if you do not know how to perform this step.

    Note:   The name sampltab that is used in these examples is the physical file or directory name. Do not confuse this name with the libname, which you will specify in a later step.  [cautionend]

  2. Go to the Program Editor window by using the PREVWIND function key or by clicking on the window, depending on your operating environment. From the Program Editor window, follow this selection path:

    File
    [arrow]
    		 Open object...
    The Open window appears with a list of available libraries in the left pane.

  3. Select the [+] symbol next to the Sashelp library. The contents of the Sashelp library appear in the left pane.

  4. Scroll down in the left pane until you see the Qassist catalog. Select the Qassist catalog. A list of entries in the Qassist catalog appears in the right pane.

  5. Scroll down in the right pane until you see the Samplsas source entry. Select the Samplsas source entry.

  6. Select Open. The Samplsas program appears in the Program Editor window.

  7. Scroll down in the Program Editor window (or use the DOWN function key) until you find the "Supply parameters" section, as shown in the following display.

    SAMPLSAS Source Code

    [IMAGE]

  8. Find the line that reads 
    * libname &library "&sysjobid..sas.assist.sampltab";
    You might need to scroll further down to find this line. This line is the LIBNAME statement that SAS software uses to assign a libref to a physical file or directory.

  9. Remove the * by placing the cursor over it and pressing the SPACE BAR or DELETE key.

  10. If you are using OS/390, continue to the next step. Otherwise, replace the information between the quotation marks (") with the name of the library or directory you created in step 1. (For CMS users, use the name in the following table.) Use the following table as a guide. Ensure that the name is enclosed in quotation marks and that a semicolon (;) is at the end of the line.

    Examples of LIBNAME Statements
    Operating Environment Example
    OS/390 libname &library "userid.assist.sampltab";
    CMS libname &library "SAMPLTAB FILE A";
    Open VMS libname &library"DEVICE:[SAMPLTAB]";
    UNIX libname &library "/u/userid/assist/sampltab";
    OS/2 or Windows libname &library "C:\assist\sampltab";

  11. To run the program, follow this selection path:

    Run
    [arrow]
    		 Submit
    After the program finishes, statistics about the created tables appear in the Output window.

    Note:   The Airline libref is assigned for the duration of your current SAS session only. The next time you invoke the SAS System and SAS/ASSIST software, you will need to assign the libref again. Alternatively, you can specify that the Airline libref be automatically defined, each time you invoke the SAS System, by assigning the libref in the SAS Explorer window. See the online help for the SAS Explorer window for details.  [cautionend]

  12. Return to the SAS/ASSIST window by selecting ASSIST from the Solutions menu.


Chapter Contents
Previous
Next
Top of Page

Copyright 1999 by SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA. All rights reserved.