The first step in deciding
what spatial data you need is to assess the attribute data that you
want to analyze. The attribute data must have a spatial component.
That is, the data must contain at least one variable with values that
relate to location. Examples include city, state, or country names
or codes; street names; addresses; and so on. Because
SAS/GIS software
is part of SAS, the attribute data must also be in the form of a SAS
data set or a SAS view. If needed, you can use any method that is
available for transforming your attribute data into a SAS data set
or a SAS view. These methods include, but are not limited to the following:
-
using SAS programming statements
or the SAS Import Wizard to read external files into SAS data sets
-
using
SAS/ACCESS software or the
SQL procedure to create views to database files
-
using SAS programming statements
or the SQL procedure to create dynamic views to SAS data sets.
First ensure that your
attribute data has a spatial component and is in a format that
SAS/GIS
can read. Then proceed to identify and locate your spatial data.