Newsgroups: bit.listserv.sas-l
Date:         Mon, 27 Jul 1992 16:46:00 CDT
Reply-To:     Deb Cannon 319-335-6321 <ADPDKHTS@UIAMVS.BITNET>
From:         Deb Cannon 319-335-6321 <ADPDKHTS@UIAMVS.BITNET>
Subject:      Re: SQL ? and SAS...

  CONTENT:   Response to Kernon Gibe's response and an editorial
  SUMMARY:   SQL is part of base SAS, works on data sets/views, ...
  REL/PLTF:  6.06+/all?
>
> >Does SQL under SAS work with any file that SAS understands ??
>
> Any SAS data set or view (actually, if you have SAS/ACCESS, I imagine
> you could be accessing a non-SAS data file/view, but I'm not experienced
> with this).

     This is true - if you can access a file structure with SAS/
     ACCESS, you will be able to use it in PROC SQL.

> >Short of asking the systems people... how can I tell if my
> >installation has SAS SQL on it's various machines ??

> Since it is part of base SAS, version 6.06+, this should be more of a
> "which version of SAS am I running" question.  However, you could always

     Actually, it's covered quite nicely in alot of the
     documentation for Version 6, the 'Enhancements' book
     is one in particular.  PROC SQL even has its own
     manual.  Call the person who supports SAS (not
     necessarily your systems person) and ask him/her
     for these documents, or how to get them.

     ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
     An editorial flame:
     ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
        It saddens me to see SAS so far down on the list of products to
        support that systems programmers (or whoever has this
        responsibility) do not bother to forward pertinent information
        that programmers/users would find useful in their work.
        While I do not pass on *all* the information that I
        receive due to sheer volume, I *do* strive to keep
        users and programmers informed on upcoming changes and
        enhancements.  A case in point is that SAS bug re:
        the subsetting IF statements.  I, and hundreds of other
        installation reps, received notification of that zap
        some time ago.  I didn't have 6.07 in production at the time,
        so users never knew about it.  It's sortof a shame you
        even have to spend time to figure out it was a bug!
        And that you don't have access to the wonderful
        online USAGE NOTES application that SAS has provided
        with Version 6.

        It is my recommendation to those above-mentioned 'stranded'
        persons, that they begin asking questions about this, and
        demand, if they are in a position to do so, that some
        mechanism be put into place so that they receive the
        information so vital to their function.  Get involved,
        get informed.  It will pay off in the long run.  I have
        talked to too many people in this position, and I just
        can't hold it in any longer.

        Now, I am fully aware that some installations have *very*
        good mechanisms in place, and to you users/programmers
        who have received information in a timely manner because
        your systems dept actually understands what you're doing with
        SAS, and stick it in 'File 6' because it looked like junk mail:
        RTFM, and don't come back crying.  SAS-L wasn't meant to be a
        *substitute* for installation responsibilities, and neither, I
        am guessing here, is SAS Technical Support.

        Yes, you may show this to your systems programmer, and
        you don't even have to cut out my name.  I won't be a
        systems programmer much longer, having gotten so
        enamored with SAS that it is now my full-time position,
        (install, maintain, implement, program, train, and trouble
        shoot) I am transferring to the Information Center.  However, I
        have insisted that the systems responsibility transfer with me
        because #1) there are very few actual 'systems' kinds of things
        to do (and don't let anyone tell you otherwise) and #2) a
        programmer could do it if they had to, it just isn't that
        difficult!  Moral of the story is, if your systems dept won't
        take responsibility for the product, maybe you could take it
        yourself!

        Off my soapbox,

 #-------------------------------------------------------------------#
   Deborah Cannon                   Systems Support Group           
   Sr. Programmer Analyst           Administrative Data Processing  
   Phone: 319-335-6321              University of Iowa              
   Fax: 319-335-6385                400 NWB                         
   Email: adpdkhts@uiamvs           Iowa City, Iowa 52242           
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