Professional Sas Programming Secrets: Updated With New Features of Releases 6.08-6.10 (Mcgraw-Hill Series on Data Warehousing and Data Management) [Paperback]

Rick Aster (Author), Rhena Seidman (Author)

Book Description

Series: Mcgraw-Hill Series on Data Warehousing and Data Management | Publication Date: July 16, 1997

Quick solutions, techniques, and strategies for getting the most out of the SAS System make this the perfect resource for busy SAS users and programmers. Now updated for versions 6.08-6.10, this best-selling toolkit provides all of the book's routines on a handy, ready-to-use disk.

Rick Aster and Rhena Seidman share clever, little-known programming tips and secrets they've perfected during years of SAS programming and consulting. The right and wrong ways to do things, ways to facilitate complicated tasks, and the tricks of SAS pros can all be found in this book, with a programmer's perspective no other book provides.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Program like a pro by mastering little-known SAS tips and techniques! Regardless of your level of skill or experience, you'll be operating like a pro after reading this highly acclaimed guide to SAS application development-updated for versions 6.08-6.10. Packed with ingenious tips, techniques, and strategies, Professional SAS Programming Secrets provides you with a collection of time-tested SAS programming methods, as well as hundreds of ready-to-use code routines. Rick Aster and Rhena Seidman-longtime SAS developers and consultants who have programmed some of the largest databases in the U.S.-reveal clever programming secrets they have perfected over the years and offer essential coverage of: Observation loops; Programming for efficiency; Memory and management; Word wrap; Undocumented SAS features; Report writing techniques; Structures, unions, and bitfields; Binary file programming; Data security and encryption; Macro programming. Source code included on handy, ready-to-use disk!

Product Details

• Paperback: 588 pages
• Publisher: Computing Mcgraw-Hill; Pap/Dsk Re edition (July 16, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 007913095X
• ISBN-13: 978-0079130952
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 7.5 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #791,128 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential for the programmer analyst crowd., October 2, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Professional Sas Programming Secrets: Updated With New Features of Releases 6.08-6.10 (Mcgraw-Hill Series on Data Warehousing and Data Management) (Paperback)

I have a masters degree in taxation. My company logically put me to work doing data analysis and project development. I use SAS, VB, ACCESS, EXCEL, whatever gets the job done. I do not speak, nor do I want to speak, COBOL. SAS is my only avenue to Main Frame data. What is available from SAS and from third parties is disgusting. This book is like the many comprehensive Windows books. I had never used SAS variable arrays before and this book taught me all I need to know. Probably not for the super SAS geek, but for those many of us needing to do our own data access and analysis using SAS, definitely the most complete single volume on the market. Well worth the money.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, March 25, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (Charlotte, NC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Professional Sas Programming Secrets: Updated With New Features of Releases 6.08-6.10 (Mcgraw-Hill Series on Data Warehousing and Data Management) (Paperback)

Not perfect, but excellent. After looking at the reviews on Amazon, I decided to postpone buying this book. My mistake. The is the best book on the SAS language within one set of covers. It should not be your first introduction to SAS, but after you have your feet wet and decide to jump in all the way, it is a must have.

In any situation you find yourself programming in SAS, you will not use all SAS has to offer. Certainly if you plan to take the certificataion test you will need to know more and this is one of the aids you need. Rick, or Mr. Aster to me, uses English, real English, the way people think and talk, to descibe SAS computereze.

Yes, it's heavily technical, but most people once they start thinking in the technical language cannot weave in and out of regular English. Rick can.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Needs to be updated, June 13, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Professional Sas Programming Secrets: Updated With New Features of Releases 6.08-6.10 (Mcgraw-Hill Series on Data Warehousing and Data Management) (Paperback)

This was an excellent book at the time it was written, but needs to be updated for the more recent versions of SAS and for changes of terminology usage prompted by relational data bases.