Step 4: Create the Remaining Options :: SAS(R) Studio 3.5: Writing Your First Custom Task

About the Remaining Options

Now that you have defined the data source and the role, you need to create the remaining options for the task. These options represent the macro variables in the original SAS program.

To complete this example, you need to create options that enable you to specify this information:

whether the resulting numeric variable has the same name as the original character variable
the informat to use to read the existing variable
the width of the informat
the name of the output data source

As with all options, you first must define these options in the Metadata element. Then you must specify how the options should appear in the user interface by using the UI element.

When you complete this step, the user interface includes a new OPTIONS heading and four new options.

Define These Options in the Metadata

To define these new options, add the highlighted code to the Options element:

<Options>
   <Option name="dataTab" inputType="string">DATA</Option>
   <Option name="dataGroup" inputType="string">DATA</Option>
   <Option name="rolesGroup" inputType="string">ROLES</Option>
   <Option name="optionsGroup" inputType="string">OPTIONS</Option>

   <Option name="samename" inputType="checkbox">Same name?</Option>
   <Option name="informatType" inputType="combobox">Category 
      of informat:</Option>
   <Option name="numericChoice" inputType="string" returnValue="BEST">
      Numeric</Option>
   <Option name="dateChoice" inputType="string" returnValue="DDMMYY">
      Date</Option>
   <Option name="informatWidth" inputType="numbertext" minValue="1"
      defaultValue="10">Informat width:</Option>
   <Option name="outputDSName" inputType="outputdata" defaultValue="Test"
      required="true">Name of output data set:</Option>
</Options>

Here is an explanation of this code:

1	This line defines the OPTIONS group in the metadata. The four new options appear under the OPTIONS heading on the DATA tab.
2	This line defines the `samename` option, which enables you to specify whether the resulting numeric variable has the same name as the original character variable. Because `inputType=checkbox`, this option appears as a check box labeled Same name? in the user interface. (For more information about the available input types, see SAS Studio: Developer's Guide to Writing Custom Tasks.) If you select the Same name? check box, the existing character variable is dropped from the output data set. A new numeric variable with the same name as the original character variable is created. If you do not select the Same name? check box, a new numeric variable is added to the output data set. The character variable remains and also appears in the output data set.
3	This line defines the `informatType` option, which enables you to specify the category of the informat. In this example, the categories are numeric and date. Because `inputType=combobox`, this option appears as a combobox control labeled Category of informat. From the combobox control, the user can select Numeric or Date. The Numeric option is defined in this line of code: <Option name="numericChoice" inputType="string" returnValue="BEST"> Numeric</Option> The `returnValue` attribute is set to `BEST`, which means that the combobox control returns the string “BEST”. The Date option is defined in this line of code: <Option name="dateChoice" inputType="string" returnValue="DDMMYY"> Date</Option> The `returnValue` attribute is set to `DDMMYY`, which means that the combobox control returns the string “ DDMMYYYY”.
4	This line defines the `informatWidth` option, which specifies the width for the informat. Because `inputType=numbertext`, this option appears as a numbertext control labeled Informat width. Because `defaultvalue=10`, the default value of the informat width is 10.
5	This line defines the `outputDSName` option, which enables you to specify a name for the output data set. In the user interface, this option appears as an outputdata control, which is simply a text box where the user can specify the name of the output data set. The `defaultValue` attribute is set to `Test`. When you run the task, the output data set appears on the OUTPUT DATA tab. The default name that appears in the user interface is Test.

Add These Options to the User Interface

In the UI element, add the highlighted code to create the optionsGroup and its options:

<Container option="dataTab">
   <Group option="dataGroup" open="true">
      <DataItem data="inlibname" />
   </Group>

   <Group option="rolesGroup" open="true">
      <RoleItem role="invarname" />
   </Group>
   
   <Group option="optionsGroup" open="true">
      <OptionItem option="samename" />
      <OptionChoice option="informatType">
         <OptionItem option="numericChoice" />
         <OptionItem option="dateChoice" />
      </OptionChoice>
      <OptionItem option="informatWidth" />
      <OptionItem option="outputDSName" />
   </Group>
</Container>

Here is an explanation of this code:

1	This line creates the OPTIONS group on the DATA tab. Because `open=”true”`, this group is expanded by default, so you can see all of the options in this group. You can use the arrow in the interface to collapse this group. The options in the OPTIONS group appear in the order in which you specified them in the `UI` element. In this example, the options are in this order: sameName, informatType, informatWidth, and outputDSName.
2	In the `Options` element in the metadata, you specified this code: <Option name="informatType" inputType="combobox">Category of informat:</Option> Because `inputType=”combobox”`, the informatType option is a combobox control. You also defined the two options (Numeric and Date) that are available from the combobox control. <Option name="numericChoice" inputType="string" returnValue="BEST">Numeric</Option> <Option name="dateChoice" inputType="string" returnValue="DDMMYY">Date</Option> In the `UI` element, you specify the order in which these two options (Numeric and Date) appear in the combobox control.
3	This line creates the Informat width text box. In the metadata, you defined this option by using this code: <Option name="informatWidth" inputType="numbertext" minValue="1" defaultValue="10">Informat width:</Option> Because `defaultValue=”10”`, a default value of 10 appears in the Informat width text box when you generate the user interface.
4	This line creates the Name of output data set box. In the metadata, you defined this option by using this code: <Option name="outputDSName" inputType="outputdata" defaultValue="Test" required="true">Name of output data set:</Option> Because `defaultValue=”Test”`, a default name of Test appears in the Name of output data set box when you generate the user interface.

View the New Options Heading

Click

to generate the user interface for the task.

Now, the OPTIONS heading and its contents are visible in the user interface.

Close the task and return to the tab that contains the CTM code. Click Save Icon

to save your CTM code.