About the SAS Studio Tasks

SAS Studio is shipped with several predefined tasks, which are point-and-click user interfaces that guide the user through an analytical process. For example, tasks enable users to create a bar chart, run a correlation analysis, or rank data. When a user selects a task option, SAS code is generated and run on the SAS server. Any output (such as graphical results or data) is displayed in SAS Studio.
Because of the flexibility of the task framework, you can create tasks for your site. In SAS Studio, all tasks use the same common task model and the Velocity Template Language. No Java programming or ActionScript programming is required to build a task.
The common task model (CTM) defines the template for the task. In the CTM file, you define how the task appears to the SAS Studio user and specify the code that is needed to run the task. A task is defined by its input data and the options that are available to the user. (Some tasks might not require an input data source.) In addition, the task has metadata so that it is recognized by SAS Studio.
In SAS Studio, a task is defined by the Task element, which has these children:
Registration
The Registration element identifies the type of task. In this element, you define the task name, icon, and unique identifier.
Metadata
The Metadata element can specify whether an input data source is required to run the task, any role assignments, and the options in the task.
  • The Roles element specifies the types of variables that are required by the task. Here is the information that you would specify in this element:
    • type of variable that the user can assign to this role (for example, numeric or character)
    • the minimum or maximum number of variables that you can assign to a role
    • the label or description of the role that appears in the user interface
  • The Options element specifies how to display the options in the user interface.
UI
The UI element describes how to present the user interface to the user. A top-down layout is supported.
Dependencies
The Dependencies element describes any dependencies that options might have on one another. For example, selecting a check box could enable a text box.
Requirements
The Requirements element specifies what conditions must be met in order for code to be generated.
Code Template
The Code Template element determines the output of the task. For most tasks, the output is SAS code.
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