Browsing and Updating CA-Datacom/DB Data with the SAS/FSP Procedures

If your site has SAS/FSP software as well as SAS/ACCESS software, you can browse and update CA-Datacom/DB data that is described by a view descriptor from within a SAS program.

You have a choice of three SAS/FSP procedures: FSBROWSE, FSEDIT, and FSVIEW. The FSBROWSE and FSEDIT procedures show you one data record at a time. The FSVIEW procedure displays multiple records in a tabular format similar to the PRINT procedure. PROC FSVIEW enables you to browse or update CA-Datacom/DB data, depending on which option you choose. You cannot use the FSBROWSE, FSEDIT, or FSVIEW procedures on an access descriptor.

To scroll through the data, use the FORWARD and BACKWARD commands. To end your browse or edit session, issue the END command.

The FSBROWSE procedure enables you to look at CA-Datacom/DB data that is described by a view descriptor but not to change it. For example, the following SAS statements enable you to look at one record at a time:

proc fsbrowse data=vlib.usacust;
run;

The FSBROWSE procedure retrieves one record at a time from a CA-Datacom/DB table. The following graphic shows the first record of the USA customers' data described by the Vlib.UsaCust view descriptor. To browse each record, use the FORWARD and BACKWARD commands.

The FSEDIT procedure enables you to update CA-Datacom/DB data that is described by a view descriptor. For example, in FSBROWSE Window the ZIPCODE, NAME, and FIRSTORD values are missing in the first record. You can add values to these fields with the FSEDIT procedure.

To use PROC FSEDIT, submit the following SAS statements:

proc fsedit data=vlib.usacust;
run;

The FSEDIT procedure also retrieves one record at a time. To edit a record, scroll to it, and type in the new data after the appropriate label. For example, enter the information about the DURHAM SCIENTIFIC SUPPLY COMPANY, as shown in FSEDIT Window. To end your editing session, issue the END command.

To browse CA-Datacom/DB data, submit the PROC FSVIEW statement as follows:

proc fsview data=vlib.usacust;
run;

PROC FSVIEW displays the data in a listing format instead of one observation at a time, as shown in the graphic above. Browse mode is the default for the FSVIEW procedure. Notice that a (B) for browse follows the view descriptor's name and that the values in the first record reflect the changes made using the FSEDIT procedure in the previous example.

To see the rest of the table's data, scroll the display on the monitor to the right several times by issuing the RIGHT command on the command line or by using the function key assigned to this command.

To edit CA-Datacom/DB data with PROC FSVIEW, submit the PROC FSVIEW statement as follows:

proc fsview data=vlib.usacust modify;
run;

The word “EDIT” can be used instead of MODIFY. The display is the same as FSVIEW Window except that an (E) for edit is displayed in the window title.

You can specify a WHERE statement to subset CA-Datacom/DB data when you invoke the SAS/FSP procedures. You can also use a WHERE command to do the same thing after you have invoked one of the SAS/FSP procedures.

In the following example, a WHERE statement is used to retrieve only customers from California:

proc fsedit data=vlib.usacust;
   where state='CA';
run;

The following graphic shows the FSEDIT window after the statements have been submitted.

Only two records with a STATE value of CA are retrieved for editing. Note that the word (Subset) appears after Vlib.UsaCust in the window title. This is to remind you that the data retrieved is a subset of the data that is described by the view descriptor. You can then edit each record by typing over the information that you want to modify. Issue the END command to end your editing session. If you want to cancel changes to a record, you can issue the CANCEL command before you scroll. Once you scroll though, the change is committed.

You can also use a SAS WHERE command to display a subset of your data. A WHERE command is a SAS WHERE expression that is entered on the command line. The following graphic shows how the FSEDIT window appears when the subset is generated within the procedure with the following WHERE command:

  where state='CA'

Only the two records with a STATE value of CA are retrieved for editing. Where appears after Vlib.UsaCust in the window title to remind you that the data retrieved is a subset of the data that is described by the view descriptor. You can then edit each record, as described earlier.

Although these examples have shown a WHERE clause with the FSEDIT procedure, you can also retrieve a subset of the data when using the FSBROWSE and FSVIEW procedures. For more information about the SAS WHERE statement, see the SAS Functions and CALL Routines: Reference. For more information about the SAS WHERE command within the SAS/FSP procedures, see the SAS/FSP Procedures Guide.

Inserting and deleting records with the SAS/FSP procedures is different for view descriptors than for SAS data files.

You can use the FSEDIT and FSVIEW procedures to insert records into a CA-Datacom/DB table on which a view descriptor is based. Insertion of new records depends on the attributes assigned to the Master Key and whether the Master Key is included in your view descriptor. For example, if the DUPE-MASTER-KEY attribute is set to N (no), values for the Master Key cannot be duplicated. You receive an error message if you try to insert a record having a Master Key value that duplicates an existing value. Therefore, be sure to define your view descriptors carefully if you intend to use them to insert records into a CA-Datacom/DB table.

See Information for the Database Administrator for details about inserting data. See the SAS/FSP Procedures Guide for information about how to use insertion commands such as ADD and DUP in the FSEDIT procedure and AUTOADD and DUP in the FSVIEW procedure. However, note that with the SAS/ACCESS interface to CA-Datacom/DB, a duplicated record is inserted immediately after the original record rather than at the end of the CA-Datacom/DB table.

When you use the DELETE command with a view descriptor that describes CA-Datacom/DB data, the current record is removed permanently from the CA-Datacom/DB table. Also, the DELETE command works differently in the FSVIEW procedure than it does in the FSEDIT procedure. For more information about this command, see the SAS/FSP Procedures Guide.

The following example illustrates using the DELETE command in the FSEDIT procedure. Scroll forward to the record to be deleted and enter the DELETE command on the command line, as shown in the following graphic.

The DELETE command deletes the record and displays a message to that effect, as shown in the following graphic.

For more information about using the SAS/FSP procedures, see the SAS/FSP Procedures Guide.