SAS DATA STEP PROCESS
The SAS® DATA Step is one of the primary methods for creating SAS data sets. It is essential to any SAS programmer
that you have to understand the process of the DATA Step because some times you have to work on the complex data manipulation tasks and data set creation which can be done through only the DATA Step. Here we are going to give a glimpse of DATA STEP PROCESS.
Before we start DATA STEP PROCESS, we have a glimpse of SAS Work Flow.
It is especial to learn the rules governing the DATA Step i.e Compile phase, PDV and Execution phase.
COMPILATION PHASE:
Syntax checking (commands are right or wrong) and then compilation will be done.
1. Input buffer: How the SAS will save the information.
2. Program Data Vector (PDV): Iteration of cycle begins
input variables are taken as missing values and then the data will be taken one by one.
3. Descriptor information: 5 attributes of the variables i.e., length, label, format informat type.EXECUTION PHASE:
— Run the Data.
— The execution will be done for each observation/record in the data.
By Example:
