The TEMPLATE Procedure

LINK Statement

Creates a link to an existing definition.

LINK definition-path-1 definition-path-2 </ NOTES='text';>

Creating a link to a definition has the same effect as creating a new definition that inherits its characteristics from another definition (see the discussion of PARENT=). However, using a link is more efficient than using inheritance because linking does not actually create a new definition.

Note:

To maximize efficiency, PROC TEMPLATE implements any definition that consists solely of the declaration of a parent and of notes as a link. [cautionend]

Required Arguments

definition-path-1

specifies the path of the definition to create. PROC TEMPLATE creates the definition in the first template store in the path that you can write to.

definition-path-2

specifies the path of the definition to link to. If the same definition exists in multiple template stores, PROC TEMPLATE uses the one from the first template store in the current path that you can read.

Tip:

PROC TEMPLATE does not confirm that definition-path-2 exists when it compiles the defintion.

Options

NOTES= 'text'

specifies notes to store in the definition.

Tip:

Notes of this type become part of the compiled definition, which you can view with the SOURCE statement, whereas SAS comments do not.

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