HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
X-Mailer: Ezmail v3.8 <Mon Sep 14 08:27:45 1992 richardh>
Status: U
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.sas-l
Date:         Mon, 14 Sep 1992 08:33:25 WST
Reply-To:     Richard Hockey <richardh@EPISUN.EPIDEM.UWA.EDU.AU>
From:         Richard Hockey <richardh@EPISUN.EPIDEM.UWA.EDU.AU>
Subject: Re: FORMCHAR, TABULATE, and PostScript
Comments: To: sas-l@ohstvma.acs.ohio-state.edu

In reply to the mail from <SAS-L@OHSTVMA.ACS.OHIO-STATE.EDU>...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>Content: TABULATE FORMCHAR for PostScript
>Summary: Line drawing characters from TABULATE via PostScript
>Release and platform: All
>Name: Bob Paver
>Mail addresses: paver@mcc.com
>Real Addresses: MCC
>                3500 W Balcones Center Drive, Austin, TX 78759
>                Phone (512) 338-3316    FAX: (512) 388-3888
>
>
>"Attached" is an updated version of a message I sent to SAS-L in
>October '91. Since then there have been a number of queries about
>the use of line drawing characters in TABULATE-produced tables.
>
Stuff deleted....

>+ Post-processed the output file using a public-domain program
>  called LPSCR. LPSCR reads an ASCII file and "wraps" it in
>  PostScript code, allowing me to specify the font (DOSfont),
>  point size (8), line spacing (9 point), and rotation
>  (landscape). The line spacing is important. If it's too large
>  the tops and bottoms of the vertical bars do not meet.
>
>  There are other programs that perform the functions that LPSCR
>  does. One called PS comes to mind. This post-processing is an
>  important step as this is where I tell the printer which font
>  to use. It is possible that on some systems the font could be
>  specified at the time the job is printed, perhaps as a command
>  line option.
>
Their is a public domain program called PC2PS which prints extended ascii
on a postscript printer (basically downloads the font you describe with the
file to be printed )
It is available from simtel or any of its mirrors on the postscript directory.
| Richard Hockey                    email:richardh@episun.epidem.uwa.edu.au   |
| Department of Public Health       phone:+61 9 389-3463        _--_|\        |
| University of Western Australia   fax:  +61 9 389-3648       /      \       |
| NEDLANDS WA 6009                                             *_.--._/       |
| Australia                                                          v        |
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.sas-l
Date:         Wed, 9 Sep 1992 08:32:46 EDT
Reply-To:     Marsha Shepherd <ACMARSHA@ECUVM1.BITNET>
From:         Marsha Shepherd <ACMARSHA@ECUVM1.BITNET>
Subject:      On-line documentation

I'm the SAS rep at a university.  The idea of on-line documentation
horrifies me.

Reason 1:  Some of you are obviously rich enough to afford CD drives.
This university is not.  We only have one drive in each (but not every)
computer lab.  With on-line documentation, you can't reach two feet
behind you to grab a manual off of a shelf, you would have to leave your
office, go to one of the labs with a CD, stand in line to use the
machine, and look something up.  This is ridiculous!

Reason 2:  The manuals are cheaper than CD drives.

Reason 3:  In the past two releases, the help files have gotten larger
and larger, but (IMHO) they contain less information.  I do NOT like
the help files for version 6.07.  They do not contain examples, formulas,
etc.  I am a veteran SAS user and I teach people how to use SAS.  When I
look something up in help, or when I teach someone how to look something
up, the information is so superficial, it isn't worth the effort.  The
manuals contain more information.  If the files were made more detailed,
they would take up more disk space.  Neither we nor our users can afford
to buy disk drives just so we can read a manual.  (The manuals are cheaper!)
We already spend a lot of time "trimming" SAS to fit on user machines.
Additional disk space just for manuals would be impossible for us.

Reason 4:  We KNOW FROM EXPERIENCE that the first thing many of our users
do is print the on-line documentation.  Why is this a problem?  Because
we are footing the bill for paper.  At least now, the cost is spread
among a larger audience of SAS users.  On-line documentation would put
an unreasonable burden on those people who support printers and printer
supplies expecially in an university setting where a computer center
operates labs all over campus (labs shared by several departments) and
charge-back systems are difficult to maintain.  I do not want to put
cash registers in computer labs so that we can charge people for paper!
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.sas-l
Date:         Fri, 4 Sep 1992 16:48:11 EDT
Reply-To:     Gerry <STATMAN@PACEVM.BITNET>
From:         Gerry <STATMAN@PACEVM.BITNET>
Subject:      Link Test -- Please Disregard

Test to see if the link is active -- please disregard


                                 -Gerry

                                  Gerard T. Pauline
                                  Programmer / Analyst
                                  Dept of Academic Computing
                                  Pace University, NYC Campus
                                  (212) 346-1706
                                  Statman @ Pacevm
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.sas-l
Date:         Tue, 15 Sep 1992 10:30:05 MST
Reply-To:     Fred Lillibridge <FLILLIBR@NMSUVM1.BITNET>
From:         Fred Lillibridge <FLILLIBR@NMSUVM1.BITNET>
Subject:      SAS Related Textbooks

I'm preparing for a college level computer applications course that's
designed for future school administrators.  I'm looking for suggestions
about textbooks that could be used to explain how to use SAS.

I'd be interested in a range that runs from "Idiot Simple" to "Complex".

Thanks for you help.  I will summarize for the list.

Dr. Fred Lillibridge
New Mexico State University
flillibr.nmsuvm1.nmsu.edu
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.sas-l
Date:         Wed, 9 Sep 1992 11:11:11 PDT
Reply-To:     Melvin Klassen <KLASSEN@UVVM.BITNET>
Comments:     Warning -- original Sender: tag was NETNEWS@UVVM.UVIC.CA
From:         Melvin Klassen <KLASSEN@UVVM.BITNET>
Subject:      Re: numbers in SAS

"Paul A. Thompson" <pat@PO.CWRU.EDU> says:
>Length is really quite simple.
>
>1.  Don't attempt to save space with reals.  Real numbers must be
>    (IMEVHO) represented in length 8 variables (default).
>    Shorter variables will lead to difficulties down the line.
>
I don't agree with these statements.
If you use "LENGTH 4" to store all real numbers,
you can store "integer" numbers up to 16,777,215.
(Oops! It won't hold Michael Milliken's salary ($50M) without round-off. :-)

If you use "LENGTH 4" under VM/CMS or MVS/XA,
you will be chopping the fractional-part of a floating-point number
after the 24th bit, i.e., introducing round-off errors in the order
of only 1 part in 2**25 (32,554,432).
Rhetorical question: How many researchers have data which is accurate
                     to this many digits?
Rhetorical answer:   If you're the 1-in-a-million who does, use "LENGTH 5".
Second R-question:   How many researchers would spot any difference in any
                     table produced by any statistical procedure in SAS,
                     especially when the numbers in the table are only
                     displayed to 7 decimal digits?
Second R-answer:     Only those researchers with **extreme** numerical
                     instability or auto-correlation in their datasets.
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Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.sas-l
Date:         Tue, 8 Sep 1992 15:00:56 -0700
Reply-To:     Jim Goes <goes@CHIMERA.SPH.UMN.EDU>
From:         Jim Goes <goes@CHIMERA.SPH.UMN.EDU>
Subject:      set mail

set mail sas-l
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X-Envelope-to: SAS-L@OHSTVMA.BITNET
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X-VMS-Cc: ADROSEN
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.sas-l
Date:         Fri, 11 Sep 1992 16:43:00 EST
Reply-To:     "Allan D. Rosen (412)624-0418" <ADROSEN@PITTVMS.BITNET>
From:         "Allan D. Rosen (412)624-0418" <ADROSEN@PITTVMS.BITNET>
Subject:      Use of Lengths for Integers

-----------------------------------------------------
Content:  Another Response
SUMMARY:  Use of Lengths for Integers to save space
E-ADDR:   ADROSEN@vms.cis.pitt.edu
NAME:     Allan Rosen
ADDR:     University of Pittsburgh
-------------------------------------------------------

I think the use of lengths to save space for integer valued variables
becomes more dangerous as the number of individuals working with the SAS data
sets increases.  Even though good programming practices should be encouraged
I would rather play it safe and use the length=8 default.

Allan Rosen
University of Pittsburgh
Epidemiology Data Center
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Priority: Urgent need for help
X-Mailer: ELM [version 2.3 PL10]
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.sas-l
Date:         Wed, 9 Sep 1992 15:58:17 EDT
Reply-To:     glg2@gte.com
From:         Gail Gill <glg2@GTE.COM>
Subject:      Proc IML
Comments: To: sas-l%marist.bitnet@cunyvm.cuny.edu

Hello out there in SAS land,
 I am having difficulties writing a matrix created in a module to a SAS
dataset. Is there someone out there who could spare a few minutes and
look at the create statement and inform me of the proper syntax to obtain
this dataset? Do I need a libname statement along with the create?
TIA
Gail Gill

The program:

libname in1 '/usr4/glg2';

options sortpgm=sas cleanup linesize=72;

proc sort data=in1.gregyopt out=new1;
  by pubdte clasgrp cust itemno;

run;

data new88;
  set new1;

if pubdte=198804;
  if clasgrp=1;


Proc IML;
  use new88; read all;

nob=nrow(cust);
nitem=nrow(itemno);


*Initial initialize the set of vectors to be used;

start initial;
	nctot=cntrctot[i];
	ncust=cust[i];
	rev=j(1,119,0);
	num=rev;
	rev[itemno[i]]=billrate[i];
	num[itemno[i]]=1;
finish;

*update updates the matrix newdat;

start update;
	rev[itemno[i]]=rev[itemno[i]]+billrate[i];
	num[itemno[i]]=num[itemno[i]]+1;
finish;

*incremnt pastes everything together;

start incremnt;
	run update;
	 newdat=newdat//(ncust||rev||num||nctot);
finish;

start main;
 do i=1 to nob;
	if i=1 then do;
		run initial;
	      end;
	    else if (cust[i]^=cust[i-1]) then do;
		run incremnt;
		run initial;
	    end;
	  else run update;
	if i=nob then do;
		  run incremnt;
	        end;
 end;
finish;

run main;


*output matrix newdat to a SAS dataset;

	create clas188 from newdat ;
		append;
**********************;
***The error message occurs here and is the following: All data set
***variables are unvalued. No APPEND done.
***Hence, my data set is empty.;
***********************;
endsas;
From: macq@miguel.llnl.gov (Don MacQueen)
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.sas-l
Subject: Re: Infile question
Date: 9 Sep 92 16:05:05 GMT
Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Original question:
================================
> I have a question about the use of infile to read data into SAS.
> I have some output from an Ingress-database. This database uses a <tab> as
> delimiter. Is it possible to get SAS to understand this too?
> Until now I have specified a certain length for each variable in the output,
> and the used the following code to read it:
>
> infile 'whatever';
> input var1 $ 1-6 var2 $ 7-19 , ect.
>
> I have tried to use characters as delimiter, but I must have done something
> wrong, because it didn't work.
================================
A couple of people have suggested the EPANDTABS option.

This may work, but it will depend a lot on what is in the Ingres
file. If the data in the fields are padded with spaces before the
tab characters, then o.k. But if they are not, then the use of
the EXPANDTABS option will almost certainly result in the fields not
lining up, if some of the data in any field is less than 8 characters
long, and other data in the same field is more than 8 chars long.

I say "almost certainly" because I've never used the EXPANDTABS option.
But I have looked at tab delimited files in a text editor that expands
tabs, and what I have described above is exactly what happens. If you
want the fields to line up after expanding the tabs, you have to set
the tab spacing greater than the longest data item in the entire file.
-- 
---------------------------------------------------
Don MacQueen                   macq@miguel.llnl.gov
Lawrence Livermore Nat. Lab.
7000 East Ave., L-307          (510) 423-1062
Livermore, CA 94550
---------------------------------------------------
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU
Priority:     normal
X-Mailer:     Pegasus Mail v2.3 (R4).
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.sas-l
Date:         Fri, 11 Sep 1992 12:26:56 EDT
Reply-To:     Martha Acevedo <MACEVEDO@HESTIA.FCS.UGA.EDU>
From:         Martha Acevedo <MACEVEDO@HESTIA.FCS.UGA.EDU>
Subject:      test
Comments: To: sas-l@uga.cc.uga.edu

test
Martha Acevedo
E-mail: macevedo@hestia.fcs.uga.edu
College  of Family & Consumer Sciences
University of Georgia
From: MPERRY%ALBM1@ALBNYDH2.BITNET
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.sas-l
Subject: Response - Creating a long macro variable.
Date: 11 Sep 92 15:27:30 GMT
Reply-To: MPERRY%ALBM1@ALBNYDH2.BITNET
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU
X-FROM:  <MPERRY@ALBM1>

Regarding Kernon Gibe's comments on Bob Snyder's response to the looong
macro variable question, yes Bob's suggestion does work.  (See test below
run successfully under VM/CMS.)  According to the SAS Guide to Macro
Processing V5, Appendix 2, the max length of the macro variable is
controlled by the MWORK= system option with a default of 2k (2048 bytes)
and max value of 28k.  I agree with Bob, however, that there must be a
more elegant solution than concatenating a huge macro variable.
Regardless, his code works fine.

**** Test code ****
%let mvar = ;
Data temp;
  Input varnum $ possans $;
    Call Symput('mvar',Symget('mvar')||' '||compress(possans));
cards;
01 Jack
02 and
03 Jill
04 ran
05 up
06 the
07 hill
;
Run;

%put mvar = &mvar; run;

produces:  Jack and Jill ran up the hill

  ***** End code. *****

*NYS*DoT*CMS*IBM*3090-400*SAS*5.18*6.07*GRAPH*FSP*STAT*ANYSUG*

      Michael F. Perry           Using SAS 5&6 under CMS for:
 Assoc. Computer Prog/Analyst      Bid analysis (BAMS/DSS) &
  NYS Dept of Transportation       Project Estimating
   State Campus, Bldg 4-220                Planning &
      Albany, NY  12232                    Management.

*NYS*DoT*(518)*457*5259*PLANES*TRAINS*AUTOMOBILES*BOATS*BIKES*
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.sas-l
Date:         Tue, 15 Sep 1992 00:15:03 EDT
Reply-To:     Chris Corman <CHRIS@UKCC.UKY.EDU>
From:         Chris Corman <CHRIS@UKCC.UKY.EDU>
Subject:      Ethnographer software

I apologize if this is not the proper forum to place this request,
but can anyone give me information about a qualitative analysis package,
Ethnographer, that runs on the Macintosh?  I've looked several places
without success for info on this software.  Any information will be
appreciated.

Please reply directly to me, as I'm not on this list.  Thanks!

Chris Corman
Academic Computing Services
University of Kentucky
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X-Acknowledge-To: <CASSELL@UNCVM1>
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.sas-l
Date:         Mon, 14 Sep 1992 21:19:05 EDT
Reply-To:     Jim Cassell <CASSELL@UNCVM1.OIT.UNC.EDU>
From:         Jim Cassell <CASSELL@UNCVM1.OIT.UNC.EDU>
Subject:      Performance difference between IDE & SCSI drives under OS/2
Comments: To: SAS Discussion List <SAS-L@vtvm2.cc.vt.edu>

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Content:  query
SUMMARY:  Throughput using IDE rather than SCSI drives
REL/PLTF: 6.06  under OS/2 2.0
E-ADDR:   cassell@uncvm1.oit.unc.edu
NAME:     Jim Cassell
PH/ADDR:  919/962-0782   Univ of N. Carolina  Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3355
------------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm looking into retiring my tired old XT clone for a 486-33DX EISA
box.  I plan to run OS/2 2.0 (OS-duce-duce?) on this machine.
Northgate and Gateway both quote _very_ enticing prices for such boxes
with 8mg RAM, VGA, & 200ish MGB IDE drives ($3099 Northgate, $2810
Gateway).  The same machines equiped with 300 (or so) MGB SCSI drives
run $500-$700 more.

Part of the price differential is the larger size of the SCSI disks, of
course.  But it's made me wonder about the actual differences in perfor-
mance between a IDE drive (with a 16-bit controller) and a SCSI drive
(with a 32-bit controller).  The IDE's gotta be slower, but anyone
have a clue HOW MUCH slower?  Anyone have relevant benchmarks?  Inform-
ed opinions?

I'll happily post a summary to the list.

Thanks,
Jim

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jim Cassell                                    CASSELL@UNCVM1.OIT.UNC.EDU
Institute for Research in Social Science       CASSELL@UNCVM1.BITNET
University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill       Phone:  919-962-0782
Chapel Hill, NC  27599-3355                    Fax:    919-962-4777
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Newsgroups: bit.listserv.sas-l
Date:         Mon, 14 Sep 1992 10:47:00 EDT
Reply-To:     919 Robert Terry 684-2520 <DROBBY@DUKEMVS.BITNET>
From:         919 Robert Terry 684-2520 <DROBBY@DUKEMVS.BITNET>
Subject: re: Length and numeric precision

Dear sas-l'ers,

    Interesting discussion on use of numeric variables.  Although
    my preference is to grab at all the precision I can get, it
    seems that the original question posed has been lost!  That is,
    how to most efficiently store the data?

        Why not store David Alderton's integers (0-99) in character
    format?  Certainly would save space.  In fact, depending on the
    range of integers, character variables will always do this.

        There will also be no problems with BY and MERGE statements,
    so another potential problem has been avoided.  Character variables
    always work in these circumstances.

       Uh-oh!  What if you actually want to do something with these
    variables in a numeric sense?  Simply do a character to numeric
    conversion and you are on your way to the party.  One useful
    thing about this is that *you* must specify the amount of
    precision you want,  immediately before embarking upon your
    calculating journey.  So,  you can't later excuse yourself for
    thinking it was something it was not.

        But isn't all this programming time consuming?  Probably no
        more than all the fuzzy if statements and fuzz statements and
        all the what-nots necessary to use numeric data!

     It would even be less so if we could ask SAS to come up with a
     simplified character-to-numeric conversion routine that would
     make it as easy as falling off your tower configuration.  Maybe

        data example;
           CHARTONUM  {list of variables}  {length};

        ...  go on about your business GLUMming as to death ...

      Anyone wish to comment on this very strange idea from an
      (anti)-social scientist?

                                    Robert Terry
                                    Asst. Professor
                                    Psychology - Social and Health
                                    Duke University
                                    Durham, NC 27708

 P.S. Flames are welcome, they appear to be synonymous with the
      badge of courage.

PPS.  I hope that my suggested CHARTONUM statement would be implemented
       on all SAS systems.
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU
Organization: University of Kentucky
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.sas-l
Date:         Thu, 3 Sep 1992 12:21:38 EDT
Reply-To:     "Crovo, Bob" <CROVO@UKCC.UKY.EDU>
From:         "Crovo, Bob" <CROVO@UKCC.UKY.EDU>
Subject:      Proc Item

I have used Proc Item in the past.  It was part of the supplemental
library up through SAS 5.18.  We are running SAS 6.07 now and Proc
Item doesn't seem to be there.  Is there a replacement proc that
does item analysis or at least test scoring?  We're running 6.07
under VM with CMS release 8.

Thanks for any help you can share.  Please reply off list as I am
not on this list.
From: axn@casbah.acns.nwu.edu (Ashok Natarajan)
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.sas-l
Subject: Re: line length - solution
Date: 6 Sep 92 02:46:49 GMT
Organization: Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA

realliso@unity.ncsu.edu (Robert Allison) writes:

> More interesting, though, is that my data file is *strange*.
> When I look at it with cat, more, or vi (even with :set list
> turned on) it looks like the following:

> 142010999000282574599........... (lots more numbers out to col 261)

[deleted...]

> Does anyone know anything about these 'special characters' that
> don't show up when I look at the data, but that do affect the 
> column positions?

	I was going to suggest the presence of Control characters,
specifically NULLs (^@s), which I often generate using bad FORMAT
statements in Fortran programs (yes, Fortran!), when I saw the mention of
vi's :set list attempt.  My handy-dandy "Ultimate Guide to vi" states that
this should list all Control characters, but I recall not finding NULLs
when I used vi.

	Maybe you should use "head file_name |cat -v" instead.
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X-Organization: from SUNY College at Oneonta, NY 13820
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X-VMS-Cc: STROTHHM
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.sas-l
Date:         Thu, 3 Sep 1992 15:21:00 EDT
Reply-To:     Helen Strother <STROTHHM@SNYONEVA.BITNET>
From:         Helen Strother <STROTHHM@SNYONEVA.BITNET>
Subject:      Too complicated to explain in one line

Hi all,
        Sorry about that last message, hit the wrong key and off it went.

        I have a data set which looks something like this:

var1            var2            var3            var4            index1
001             003             001             001             002
003             004             002             004             007
007             004             003             004             005

What I want to be able to do is use this data set to construct if statements to
create the variable index1 in another data set based on the responses to var1,
var2, var3 and var4 in that data set.  The first data set is used to create the
if statements which would then create the variable index1 in the second data
set.  I hope I am being clear enough.

Any ideas, leads or page citations to RTFM would be greatly appreciated.

Almost forgot.  I am using SAS 6.07 under VMS.  Thanks.

                Helen Strother STROTHHM@SNYONEVA
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Newsgroups: bit.listserv.sas-l
Date:         Mon, 14 Sep 1992 13:36:21 ECT
Reply-To:     CINDY KESTER <AS0CK2@BINGVMB.BITNET>
From:         CINDY KESTER <AS0CK2@BINGVMB.BITNET>
Subject:      compressed needs more space

I was surprised to get this message when I compressed a large dataset.
I expected the file to take much less space than before.  Has anyone
else had this happen?

NOTE: Compressing data set OUT1.PRICES increased size by 22.43 percent.
      Compressed is 23797 pages; un-compressed would require 19438 pages.
NOTE: The DATA statement used 192.87 CPU seconds and 3744K.
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