Additional Version 7 Changes and Enhancements for OS/390, CMS, and OpenVMS VAX

Some changes and enhancements that were implemented for other operating environments in the 6.10, 6.11, and 6.12 releases were not implemented for OS/390, CMS, and OpenVMS VAX until Version 7. This section describes these additional features.

New and Enhanced Base SAS Language Elements

Formats

The following formats are new:

DATEAMPMw.d: writes datetime values (ddmmmyy:hh:mm:ss.ss) with AM or PM.
NUMXw.d: writes numeric values with a comma for the decimal point.
TIMEAMPMw.d: writes hours, minutes, and seconds with AM or PM.

Functions and CALL Routines

The following CALL routine is new:

CALL SET

links SAS data set variables to DATA step or macro variables of the same name and data type.
These data set I/O functions are new:

ATTRC

returns the value of a character attribute for a SAS data set.

ATTRN

returns the value of a numeric attribute for a SAS data set.

CLOSE

closes a SAS data set.

CUROBS

returns the observation number of the current observation.

DROPNOTE

deletes a note marker from a SAS data set or an external file.

DSNAME

returns the data set name that is associated with a data set identifier.

EXIST

verifies the existence of a SAS data library member.

FETCH

reads the next nondeleted observation from a SAS data set into the Data Set Data Vector (DDV).

FETCHOBS

reads a specified observation from a SAS data set into the Data Set Data Vector (DDV).

NOTE

returns an observation ID for the current observation of a SAS data set.

OPEN

opens a SAS data set.

POINT

locates an observation that is identified by the NOTE function.

REWIND

positions the data set pointer at the beginning of a SAS data set.
These external file I/O functions are new:

DCLOSE

closes a directory.

DINFO

returns information about a directory.

DNUM

returns the number of members in a directory.

DOPEN

opens a directory.

DOPTNAME

returns directory attribute information.

DOPTNUM

returns the number of information items available for a directory.

DREAD

returns the name of a directory member.

FAPPEND

appends the current record to the end of an external file.

FCLOSE

closes an external file, directory, or directory member.

FCOL

returns the current column position in the File Data Buffer (FDB).

FDELETE

deletes an external file.

FEXIST

verifies the existence of an external file that is associated with a fileref.

FGET

copies data from the File Data Buffer (FDB) into a variable.

FILEEXIST

verifies the existence of an external file by its physical name.

FILENAME

assigns or deassigns a fileref for an external file, directory, or output device.

FILEREF

verifies that a fileref has been assigned for the current SAS session.

FINFO

returns a file information item.

FNOTE

identifies the last record that was read.

FOPEN

opens an external file.

FOPTNAME

returns the name of an item of information about a file.

FOPTNUM

returns the number of information items that are available about an external file.

FPOINT

positions the read pointer on the next record to be read.

FPOS

sets the position of the column pointer in the File Data Buffer (FDB).

FPUT

moves data to the File Data Buffer (FDB) of an external file starting at the FDB's current column position.

FREAD

reads a record from an external file into the File Data Buffer (FDB).

FREWIND

positions the file pointer at the start of the file.

FRLEN

returns the size of the last record read, or, if the file is opened for output, returns the current record size.

FSEP

sets the token delimiters for the FGET function.

FWRITE

writes a record to an external file.

MOPEN

opens a file by directory ID and member name.

PATHNAME

returns the physical name of a SAS data library or an external file.
The following new functions are for libraries and catalogs:

CEXIST

verifies the existence of a SAS catalog or SAS catalog entry and returns a value.

LIBNAME

assigns or deassigns a libref for a SAS data library and returns a value.

LIBREF

verifies that a libref has been assigned and returns a value.
The following are new special functions:

GETOPTION

returns the value of a SAS system option or graphics option.

SPEDIS

returns the likelihood of two words matching, expressed as the asymmetric spelling distance between two words.

SYSGET

returns the value of the specified operating environment variable.

SYSMSG

returns the text of error messages or warning messages from the last data set or external file function execution.

SYSRC

returns a system error number.
These new functions return information about variables:

GETVARC

returns the value of a SAS data set character variable.

GETVARN

returns the value of a SAS data set numeric variable.

VARFMT

returns the format that is assigned to a SAS data set variable.

VARINFMT

returns the informat that is assigned to a SAS data set variable.

VARLABEL

returns the label that is assigned to a SAS data set variable.

VARLEN

returns the length of a SAS data set variable.

VARNAME

returns the name of a SAS data set variable.

VARNUM

returns the number of a SAS data set variable's position in a SAS data set.

VARTYPE

returns the data type of a SAS data set variable.
The following new functions are used in probability and statistics:

CDF

computes cumulative distribution functions.

LOGPDF | LOGPMF

computes the logarithm of a probability (mass) function.

LOGSDF

computes the logarithm of a survival function.

PDF | PMF

computes probability density (mass) functions.

SDF

computes a survival function.

Informats

The following informat is new:

NUMXw.d: reads numeric values in which a comma marks the decimal place.

Statements

The FILENAME statement has been updated with a CATALOG access method and a URL access method.

Chapter Contents
Previous
Next
Top of Page