SAS users can quickly and conveniently obtain useful information about their SAS session with a number of read-only SAS DICTIONARY tables or SASHELP views. At any time during a SAS session, information about currently defined system options, libnames, tables, columns and their attributes, formats, indexes, and more can be accessed and captured. This tip explores the purpose and use of the Dictionary table DICTIONARIES and SASHELP view VDCTNRY, how the content is accessed, and what information is available.

SAS users can easily stay current with any new Dictionary table release by accessing the read-only DICTIONARIES table. The following PROC SQL code displays the contents of existing Dictionary tables using the UNIQUE keyword.

PROC SQL Code

PROC SQL;
  SELECT UNIQUE MEMNAME
    FROM DICTIONARY.DICTIONARIES;
QUIT;

Results:

The corresponding SASHELP views are listed below.

Results:

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About the Author
Kirk Paul Lafler is the author of PROC SQL: Beyond the Basics Using SAS, published by SAS Press. He also writes the popular SAS tips column "Kirk's Korner," which appears regularly in several SAS users group newsletters, and is a frequent speaker at SAS users group meetings.

His book is available from the online bookstore.

• PROC SQL: Beyond the Basics Using SAS

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These sample files and code examples are provided by SAS Institute Inc. "as is" without warranty of any kind, either express or implied, including but not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. Recipients acknowledge and agree that SAS Institute shall not be liable for any damages whatsoever arising out of their use of this material. In addition, SAS Institute will provide no support for the materials contained herein.

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These sample files and code examples are provided by SAS Institute Inc. "as is" without warranty of any kind, either express or implied, including but not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. Recipients acknowledge and agree that SAS Institute shall not be liable for any damages whatsoever arising out of their use of this material. In addition, SAS Institute will provide no support for the materials contained herein.

SAS users can quickly and conveniently obtain useful information about their SAS session with a number of read-only SAS DICTIONARY tables or SASHELP views.

Type:

Sample

Date Modified:	2008-10-14 14:45:55
Date Created:	2008-10-14 13:34:16

Operating System and Release Information

Product Family	Product	Host	SAS Release
			Starting	Ending
SAS System	Base SAS	z/OS
		OpenVMS VAX
		Microsoft® Windows® for 64-Bit Itanium-based Systems
		Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Datacenter 64-bit Edition
		Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise 64-bit Edition
		Microsoft Windows XP 64-bit Edition
		Microsoft® Windows® for x64
		OS/2
		Microsoft Windows 95/98
		Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
		Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server
		Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
		Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
		Microsoft Windows NT Workstation
		Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Datacenter Edition
		Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition
		Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition
		Microsoft Windows XP Professional
		Windows Millennium Edition (Me)
		Windows Vista
		64-bit Enabled AIX
		64-bit Enabled HP-UX
		64-bit Enabled Solaris
		ABI+ for Intel Architecture
		AIX
		HP-UX
		HP-UX IPF
		IRIX
		Linux
		Linux for x64
		Linux on Itanium
		OpenVMS Alpha
		OpenVMS on HP Integrity
		Solaris
		Solaris for x64
		Tru64 UNIX