SAS/Connect is a tried and true method for sharing data among multiple computers using SAS software. But what if a remote computer does not have SAS software installed? This paper will explore using SSH2 (Secure Shell 2) to access or create data on a remote server that does not have SAS software. We will use as a model GE Capital’s new 3-tier SAS 9.2 compute environment and how our production batch SAS jobs use SSH2 to write data on our remote web server while maintaining password security.
Clint Rickards is a Fraud Strategy Manager in GE Capital’s Retail Finance business. He is responsible for designing, building, and running many of the credit card fraud detection jobs and applications. He also works closely with IT and other departments to help ensure that their systems are meeting requirements. He has been a SAS user for close to 30 years in several businesses (insurance, pharmaceuticals, vacation) and has made numerous presentations to local, regional, and global SAS user groups over the years.
Coders Corner Presentations
CALL EXECUTE to search for Null Variables in datasets, Rob Krajcik, Bristol-Myers Squibb
As a QC check, we want to know if any variables have not been populated in our data sets, and alert our operations team. I have an approach using PROC SQL and one using PROC FREQ and will demonstrate both.
Rob Krajcik has been working with SAS software since 1981. His interests include: Macro functions, SQL, Output Delivery System, transporting data between host systems, MS office applications, statistical graphics, web design and the SAS Enhanced Editor. Rob currently works at Bristol-Myers Squibb as a principal analyst, providing programming support for Phase III clinical trials and FDA submissions.
Proc Codebook, Karol Katz, Yale University
Proc_Codebook is a very useful macro developed by James Terry and Kim Chantala, of University of North Carolina. I have modified the display of dates slightly. It has saved me a great deal of time and I feel it is worth sharing. A few steps of preparation can quickly result in comprehensive documentation of your SAS dataset. It provides summary info on all continuous variables and codes and frequencies for all categorical variables. It can be used to quickly identify possible data errors in a newly created dataset, and the codebook report yields a concise description for a final dataset. We all want accurate data documentation and Proc Codebook is an excellent timesaver. If you try it once, you will use it again and again.
Karol Katz is currently a Statistician at YCAS, the Yale Center for Analytical Sciences, at the Yale School of Public Health. She has over 20 years of experience as a SAS Statistical programmer. She serves as data manager and data analyst for a longitudinal trial enrolling over 500 low-weight pre-term subjects to compare their progress. Karol is a co-author on manuscripts describing findings of the trial which have appeared in medical journals, including JAMA. She holds am MS in Research and Measurement from Southern CT State University, New Haven, CT.
Let the system do the work! Automate your SAS code execution on UNIX and Windows platforms, Vinodh Paida, Impressive Systems, Inc.
Often, the same SAS® macros are run to produce specific SAS outputs on a regular basis and many times on a strict scheduled time in a production environment. Automating this process can save lots of time and resources. The whole process can be streamlined. This paper explains how to automate the SAS jobs which will execute the required SAS macros on a given specific time point, and will also check the log for errors and warnings. If there are any errors, it will send an e-mail with log file; else if the job is successful then it will send the SAS output to the e-mail to appropriate personnel. This article explains about the automation on Microsoft Windows® platform using the task scheduler as well as CRONTAB facility on UNIX® platform.
Vinodh Paida works for Impressive Systems Inc and has over 10 years of experience in the Information Technology with over 7 years of consulting experience in the Pharmaceutical industry in clinical reporting. He has presented couple of papers at NESUG 2011.
SAS for Proc SQL Die Hards, Anthony Gargon, CIGNA
SQL has become a mainstay in today’s computing environment. Within the SAS system, PROC SQL has become a powerful and necessary component for extracting data from external relational databases, performing complex queries and joins of SAS tables and other functions for manipulating, transforming and managing data. For many analysts and programmers who are new to SAS, there is a reticence to use other PROCs or techniques that are more efficient, make greater use of the power of SAS, and easier to maintain as applications when developed by conventional coding methods.
This paper will contrast the use of Proc SQL with other, more traditional, techniques of processing data with SAS. Examples will include metrics compiled with the FULLSTIMER option for both Proc SQL program logic and contrasting SAS procedures with data step techniques.
Anthony Gargon is an Informatics Senior Specialist at CIGNA where he develops SAS applications for member advocacy programs. Prior to joining CIGNA he worked for various health insurance/managed care organizations and acute care hospitals. He has used SAS to analyze health care data on multiple platforms for more than 25 years. Before crossing the digital divide, he was an Epidemiologist with the Connecticut State Department of Health Services’ Immunization Program and also a Peace Corps Volunteer. He received a Bachelors degree in 1975 from Kent State University and a Masters in 1977 from Southern Connecticut State College.
Tips for SAS EG, Chuck Patridge, ISO Innovative Analytics
Chuck Patridge is a IIA Data Manager since June 2008. Chuck graduated from Central Connecticut State University in 1972 with a BS in mathematics and education. He has passed Actuarial exams 1-2, and has 40 graduate hrs in statistics. His expertise is using the SAS software since 1979 in a variety of business environments such as HR, Technical Support, Claims, Actuarial, Reinsurance, Goverment, Education, Transportation, Relocation Services , Marketing, Financial, Pharmaceutical and Insurance (Life, Health and P&C) with most career experience in the Property Casualty Insurance arena. He has presented a number of papers to various SAS user groups including SAS Global Forum and publishing a white paper on “Fuzzy Match/Merge“ in conjunction with SAS Institute. Chuck also started the first local SAS User Group – Hartford Area SAS User Group (www.hasug.org) – HASUG in 1983 as well as created and maintains another SAS user website, www.sconsig.com (SAS Consultant Special Interest Group) since 1994.
In-House SAS Users Group Setup, Rebecca Akerlind, CIGNA
In-House SAS Users Groups are a relatively easy, inexpensive and efficient way of sharing SAS knowledge amongst veteran SAS users and newcomers while also ensuring that users are getting the most out of the product. Users groups are typically run by a committee of volunteers who meet regularly to discuss the needs of the group, roles and responsibilities
Rebecca Akerlind is an Informatics Senior Specialist on the HEDIS reporting team at Cigna and has been with the company since August 2007. She is the primary liaison with SAS Institute for the CIGNA In-House User Group and co-owner of the Share point site. Her experience includes relational and star schema databases, and she has been using SAS for over 5 years. She has been aligned with the SAS Institute by working closely with the Customer Loyalty Group. This group helps with identifying needs of SAS users and coordinating speakers.