SAS PROGRAMMING
                                         HANDOUT #2
                                       THE DATA STEP

      SAS programs generally consist of a series of "DATA STEP"s and "PROC"s.
      The "DATA STEP" are used to enter and manipulate data.
      The "PROC"s are used to perform preprogrammed statistical procedures.

DATA STEP:

     The easiest way to enter data into a data step is as follows:

DATA ONE;                       *Here ONE is the name of the data set.  (no funny symbols);
 INPUT X A $;                   *This data set has 2 variables.  X is numeric and A is character;
 X2=X*X;                        *New variables can be defined after the INPUT statement.;
CARDS;                          *COMMENTS go here;
21 ABC
23.2 A
  .3    XYZ
PROC PRINT DATA=ONE;                              *USE CURSOR TO HIGHLITE PROGRAM AND SUBMIT;
RUN;

    Data can also be read from an ASCI file on your diskette.
    Save the above three lines of data as a file on A: (or C:) called  ONE.DAT
    Click on FILE, SAVE AS, A:(or C:), *.dat type, then give filename

DATA TWO;
 INFILE 'A:\ONE.DAT';
 INPUT X A $;
PROC PRINT DATA=TWO;
RUN;


    Data can also be saved  as a "permanent SAS data set".

LIBNAME BOB 'A:\';
DATA BOB.THREE; SET TWO;
RUN;

    This will save the data set on A; as THREE.SAS7BDAT        In version 6 the extension was *.SD2

DATA FOUR; SET BOB.THREE;
PROC PRINT DATA=FOUR;
RUN;

    This will create a new data set using THREE.SAS7BDAT

    Data can also be written from a SAS data set to an ASCI file

DATA FIVE; SET FOUR;
 FILE 'A:\SIX.DAT';
 PUT @1 X @10 A;
RUN;

    There are several other ways to enter data into the SAS system

1)  INFILE 'A:\COMMA.DAT' DELIMITER=',';            This will read a comma delimited data set.

2)  Click on FILE, IMPORT                           This will let you use EXCEL files etc
    You should first create a LIBNAME
    You can also export files to different formats.

3)  PROC INSIGHT allows a spreadsheet form of data entry.