put the shortest sas® command to work for you -...

Put the Shortest SAS® Command to Work for You:

How to Use X for Fun and ProfitMark Menzie, Assurant Health, Milwaukee, WI

WI-IL SAS UG June 24, 2015

WI-IL SAS UG June 24, 2015 Milwaukee, WI

1

What is X?

A. The first letter in Xylophone?

B. A club drug?

C. A way to extend SAS capabilities using the host operating system?

D. I don’t know?

WI-IL SAS UG June 24, 2015 Milwaukee, WI 2

What is X?

A. The first letter in Xylophone?

B. A club drug?

C. A way to extend SAS capabilities using the host operating system?

D. I don’t know?


What is X?

X is a shell instruction that invokes the host operating system from within SAS. The X statement and X command are available in Windows, UNIX and Z/OS operating systems. The basic X format is:

X <'command '>;A statement is an instruction from within your program while a command is issued from the command line of an interactive session. X is valid in either context. The X instruction is executed immediately when encountered in the program flow. X opens a command window for the host operating system.


Why use X?

The user may want to add functionality that is not supported in their current SAS installation. The X command presents one avenue through which the user can add functionality to SAS. X very conveniently simplifies and automates file management tasks.


Alternatives to X

1. SYSTASK

2. CALL SYSTEM

3. %SYSEXEC

4. FILENAME


X Option Settings

XCMD / NOXCMD – NOXCMD is the default setting and does not permit any use of X commands. With a setting of XCMD X commands can be used. This setting may be controlled by your system administrator.

XSYNC / NOXSYNC – XSYNC specifies that SAS operates synchronously with your operating system. Control is not returned to SAS until operating system tasks are complete. NOXSYNC allows SAS execution to continue after the X command is issued.

XWAIT / NOXWAIT – XWAIT specifies that SAS will wait for an Exit command from the operating system to continue execution. NOXWAIT allows SAS to continue after the X command is issued.


RECUPERATION

The X command is not recuperated. This means that it does not directly return a result to SAS. As a result subsequent steps are needed if SAS is to capture the results of the X command. For example if a file is created then it can be subsequently imported.


Using X in a Client-Server Network


Effect of Client-Server Architecture

Because the command window opened by X is sent to the Server the client machine is disconnected from the requested process. This undermines attempts at interactivity.


Using X to copy files

Copy all files from directory A to B

x ‘copy "C:\A\" "C:\B\"’;

WI-IL SAS UG June 24, 2015 Milwaukee, WI 11WI-IL SAS UG June 24, 2015 Milwaukee, WI

Using X to move files

Move files with extension TXT from A to B:

X ‘move "C:\A\*.TXT" "C:\B\"’;


Zipping files

Package collection of files A as zip archive B:

X ‘zip "C:\A\*" "C:\B\"’;


Using X to copy files

Delete all files in directory A:

X ‘del "C:\A\*"’;


Using the %STR function

x "%str(copy %”\\Path1\A B%”

%”\\Path2\C D%”)";

%STR masks quotation marks following a % sign.


Example FILE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM-

We’ve devised a program that detects when a new period begins by the calendar, archives the contents of a working directory in a zip file and

deletes text files from the working directory.

Full program is in the paper included with conference proceedings.


Using X with other programs:

With the appropriate installation and settings it’s possible to run any program hosted by your operating system with possibilities including encryption, calculation routines in other languages, custom I/O, user redirection of the program and more.


USING X AND POWERSHELL

Powershell is the new batch file and it allows the user to initiate a sequence of Windows commands. It’s commonly used for more complex file management tasks.


18WI-IL SAS UG June 24, 2015 Milwaukee, WI

ExecutionPolicy Settings:

Restricted- No scripting is allowed.

AllSigned- Any script signed by a trusted Certificate Authority will run.

RemoteSigned- Any local script and remote scripts signed by trusted Certificate Authorities can be run.

Unrestricted- Allows any script to be run.


Setting ExecutionPolicy

• Microsoft recommends that the executionpolicy setting be changed to RemoteSigned selectively only on machines that are intended to run scripts. You can change the execution policy to RemoteSigned by

• Start a session of Powershell as administrator

• Issue the command • PS C:\>Set-ExecutionPolicy Remotesigned.

• Confirm your choice

• The command Get-ExecutionPolicy returns your current execution policy setting.


Benefits of using Powershell with SAS

• Powershell allows for a sequence of operating system commands

• supports COM objects

• contains a wide variety of pre-built commands

• interactive capability

• Supports variables

• Alias for DOS and UNIX style commands like ‘DIR’, ‘MD’, ‘CD’ and ‘ls’.



Syntax for calling Powershell with X

X ‘PSpath\powershell.exe <Powershell argument>’;


AWKNOWLEGEMENTS

• Much of the creative inspiration for this paper came from my friend and colleague Irv Snider.



REFERENCES

Using Windows PowerShell to report on your SAS Enterprise Guide project files from The SAS Dummy by Chris Hemedinger

Better Ways to Speak to Your System Using SAS:

Automate Routine Tasks by using X, SYSTASK & FILENAME

By Ranganath Bandi and Harini Kunduru

Windows Powershell Programming for the Absolute Beginner by Jerry Lee Ford, Jr.



LEGAL NOTICE

SAS is a registered trademark of SAS Institute Inc. in the USA and other countries. Other trademarks are property of their respective owners.


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