Overview

SQL server tables that use sparse columns can designate a column set to return all sparse columns in the table. A column set is an untyped XML representation that combines all the sparse columns into one column. Adding a column set changes the behavior of SELECT * queries. The query returns the column set as one column and does not return the individual sparse columns.

This sample shows how to access the individual columns from SAS, using SQL pass-through. The sample uses a table in MS SQL server created as:

   CREATE TABLE [class](
	[name] varchar(8),
	[sex] varchar(1) SPARSE  NULL,
	[age] integer SPARSE  NULL,
	[weight] decimal(18, 2) SPARSE  NULL,
	[height] decimal(18, 2) SPARSE  NULL,
	[Columnset] [xml] COLUMN_SET FOR ALL_SPARSE_COLUMNS  NULL)

The table contains five columns, of which four are included in a column set: sex, age, weight, and height. Two columns are returned to SAS when reading from the table using the ODBC LIBNAME engine.

Code

   LIBNAME mssql ODBC dsn=data-source-name user=userid pw password;
   PROC CONTENTS DATA=mssql.class;
   RUN;

Output

   Alphabetic List of Variables and Attributes
 
   # Variable   Type   Len  Format  Informat  Label 
   ------------------------------------------------------
   1 name       Char     8  $8.     $8.       name 
   2 Columnset  Char  1024  $1024.  $1024.    Columnset 

SQL explicit pass-thru can be used to access the individual columns. The code below first connects to the MS SQL server, then inserts a row into the table and selects the individual columns.

Code

   PROC SQL;
   CONNECT TO ODBC (dsn=data-source-name user=userid pwpassword);

   EXECUTE (
     insert into class (name, sex, age, weight, height) values('Johan','M',12,75,100)
   ) BY ODBC;

   SELECT * FROM CONNECTION TO ODBC(select name, sex, age, weight, height from class); 

   QUIT;

Output

   name      Columnset
   --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Johan     <sex>M</sex><age>12</age><weight>75.00</weight><height>100.00</height>


   name   sex  age  weight  height
   ------------------------------- 
   Johan  M     12   75.00  100.00 

Additional Documentation

SQL Pass-Through Facility Specifics for ODBC

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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.

DSN, USER and PW macro variables must be set to valid values for the MS SQL Server database instance. This code can also be used on the UNIX Platform with SAS/ACCESS to MS SQL Server. In that case the "ODBC" engine used in the code should be replaced with "SQLSVR".

---

%let DSN=sqlserver; * ODBC Data Source Name;
%let USER=user; * MS SQL Server User name;
%let PW=pw;   * MS SQL Server User password;

proc sql;
  connect to odbc (dsn=&DSN user=&USER pw=&PW);
  execute ( drop table class ) by odbc;
  execute (
   CREATE TABLE [class](
	[name] varchar(8),
	[sex] varchar(1) SPARSE  NULL,
	[age] integer SPARSE  NULL,
	[weight] decimal(18, 2) SPARSE  NULL,
	[height] decimal(18, 2) SPARSE  NULL,
	[Columnset] [xml] COLUMN_SET FOR ALL_SPARSE_COLUMNS  NULL
  )
) by odbc;

execute (
  insert into class (name, sex, age, weight, height) values('Johan','M',12,75,100)
) by odbc;

select * from connection to odbc (select * from class); /* Returns two columns: Name and Coloumnset */

select * from connection to odbc (select name,sex,age,weight,height from class); /* Returns Name and the individual columns in Columnset*/
quit;


libname mssql odbc dsn=&DSN user=&USER pw=&PW;
proc contents data=mssql.class;
run;

---

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.

Type:

Sample

Date Modified:	2012-01-19 17:48:54
Date Created:	2011-11-24 09:17:38

Operating System and Release Information

Product Family	Product	Host	SAS Release
			Starting	Ending
SAS System	SAS/ACCESS Interface to ODBC	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 Server 2003 for x64
		Microsoft Windows Server 2008
		Microsoft Windows Server 2008 for x64
		Microsoft Windows XP Professional
		Windows 7 Enterprise 32 bit
		Windows 7 Enterprise x64
		Windows 7 Home Premium 32 bit
		Windows 7 Home Premium x64
		Windows 7 Professional 32 bit
		Windows 7 Professional x64
		Windows 7 Ultimate 32 bit
		Windows 7 Ultimate x64
		Windows Millennium Edition (Me)
		Windows Vista
		Windows Vista for x64
		64-bit Enabled AIX
		64-bit Enabled HP-UX
		64-bit Enabled Solaris
		AIX
		HP-UX
		HP-UX IPF
		Linux
		Linux for x64
		Linux on Itanium
		Solaris
		Solaris for x64
		Tru64 UNIX