Proc SQL: Beyond the Basics Using SAS [Paperback]

Kirk Lafler (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1590475348 | ISBN-13: 978-1590475348 | Publication Date: September 15, 2004 | Edition: 1

Master the language of PROC SQL! Get faster and better results when you use the SQL procedure with this step-by-step, example-driven guide in your hands. You will find information about implementing both American National Standards Institute (ANSI) guidelines and non-ANSI features. A broad range of SAS users including applications programmers, database designers and administrators, statisticians, and systems analysts will find techniques to enhance their data access, manipulation, and presentation prowess. <P>Topics examined include database design; an introduction to SQL, dictionary tables, and tables; coding PROC SQL logic as well as complex queries; working with views; troubleshooting and debugging SQL code; and tuning for performance. <P>With the growing popularity of databases, PROC SQL is becoming the language of choice for SAS users around the world. Intermediate and advanced users will appreciate the straightforward explanations and numerous examples. Achieve expert results with the techniques and strategies detailed in PROC SQL: Beyond the Basics Using SAS!

Editorial Reviews

Review

PROC SQL: Beyond the Basics Using SAS by Kirk Lafler is extremely well written, thorough, and thoughtfully organized. Filled with valuable information including an excellent section on what views are and how to exploit them in your SAS application development, Kirk's book also features numerous examples that are easy to understand and follow such as use of the INTO clause, when to use Indexes, and more. I strongly recommend that SAS users--from SQL beginners to advanced--acquire Kirk Lafler's new book and read it from cover to cover. --Charles Patridge, Deloitte Consulting<br /><br />Kirk Paul Lafler has been well known in the SAS community for some time, and this book illustrates why SAS users think so highly of him. PROC SQL: Beyond the Basics Using SAS provides wonderful examples of what SAS SQL code can accomplish in a way that is easy to understand. The book is also helpful when searching for ways to use SQL more efficiently and is a great comprehensive resource for those looking for new tips and techniques on PROC SQL. Whether you're someone who knows the bare basics of SQL or a more experienced SQL programmer, you should keep this book within close reach. --Beth Newsom, Kaiser Permanente, Colorado Region<br /><br />PROC SQL: Beyond the Basics Using SAS is a wonderful and much needed addition to the Books by Users library. Although well-written, introductory texts for ANSI-standard SQL exist, this is the first book written for SAS PROC SQL that really steps through the procedure step by step with readable examples and explanations written in plain English. New PROC SQL users can teach themselves the procedure by reading the book chapter by chapter, and more advanced users can skip to the chapters they want. For example, even a very seasoned user will find gems in Chapter 7 -- 'Coding Complex Queries'. I highly recommend this book to anyone who uses or plans to use PROC SQL! --Miriam Cisternas, Ovation Research Group

Kirk Paul Lafler has been well known in the SAS community for some time, and this book illustrates why SAS users think so highly of him. PROC SQL: Beyond the Basics Using SAS provides wonderful examples of what SAS SQL code can accomplish in a way that is easy to understand. The book is also helpful when searching for ways to use SQL more efficiently and is a great comprehensive resource for those looking for new tips and techniques on PROC SQL. Whether you're someone who knows the bare basics of SQL or a more experienced SQL programmer, you should keep this book within close reach. --Beth Newsom, Kaiser Permanente, Colorado Region

PROC SQL: Beyond the Basics Using SAS is a wonderful and much needed addition to the Books by Users library. Although well-written, introductory texts for ANSI-standard SQL exist, this is the first book written for SAS PROC SQL that really steps through the procedure step by step with readable examples and explanations written in plain English. New PROC SQL users can teach themselves the procedure by reading the book chapter by chapter, and more advanced users can skip to the chapters they want. For example, even a very seasoned user will find gems in Chapter 7 -- 'Coding Complex Queries'. I highly recommend this book to anyone who uses or plans to use PROC SQL! --Miriam Cisternas, Ovation Research Group

About the Author

Kirk Paul Lafler, consultant and founder of Software Intelligence Corporation, has been a SAS user since 1979. Kirk received his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees from the University of Miami. As a SAS Certified Professional, Kirk provides IT consulting services and training to SAS users around the world. He is the author of several other books, including Power AOL and Power SAS, and more than 100 peer-reviewed technical articles. Kirk also writes the popular SAS tips column, "Kirk's Korner, " that appears regularly in several SAS Users Group newsletters. He is a frequent speaker at SAS Users Group meetings.

Product Details

• Paperback: 388 pages
• Publisher: SAS Publishing; 1 edition (September 15, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1590475348
• ISBN-13: 978-1590475348
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,035,455 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Why spend the money?, March 29, 2007

By 

J. Wang "Doofus" (NYC, NY) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Proc SQL: Beyond the Basics Using SAS (Paperback)

I purchased this book one year ago under the influence of the high ratings here, but I didn't get chance to finish it until last week. After comparing this book with the SAS SQL manual (free online PDF file available at SAS website), I came to one question, why bother to buy this book? The book is not a copy of the SAS manual, but it is written in a strikingly similar pattern yet it provides LESS information than the SAS manual; on the contrary, the SAS manual gives you more materials, more examples, better narratives, clearer explanations than this full-of-typo book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Well written, but misleading title, January 6, 2006

By 

M. Tuchman "mftuchman" (Montgomery County, PA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Proc SQL: Beyond the Basics Using SAS (Paperback)

As I learn more PROC SQL, I do appreciate the examples he offers. However, since the title is 'Beyond the Basics', I would think the book could be improved by spending less time on the basics. A title that better describes the contents is : 'The basics and beyond'.

The material on dictionary tables is helpful.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Quick way to learn SQL, January 12, 2006

By 

Neal L. Oden - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Proc SQL: Beyond the Basics Using SAS (Paperback)

An experienced SAS programmer, I used the many helpful examples in this book to learn a lot about PROC SQL in just a few days. (I skipped the text.) I trust the few typos and obscure passages will be cleared up in a subsequent edition. I thought the sections on normalization and integrity constraints were skimpy. The book has also been favorably reviewed in The American Statistician 2005, vol. 59, no. 4, pp. 350