Book Reviews

SAS Functions by Example, Second Edition

978-1-60764-340-1

"For most of us who use the DATA step there are functions that we use every day and there are functions that we have never used. New functions are added to the library with each release of SAS; how are we to keep up? How do we know which of these functions will be helpful-if we take the time to learn it? How do we determine which function has a practical use for our work and is worthy of our investment of time?

Ron Cody's Functions by Example, Second Edition, bridges the gap between the documentation and the world of practical knowledge. Much more than 'just a reference manual,' this book provides examples that not only explain how but-even more important-explain why. As you write increasingly complex and sophisticated DATA steps and applications, functions become key tools. You need to know what is available, you need to know which to choose, and you need to know how to apply your selected functions. This book provides that information.

Application developers, especially those that use the SAS Macro Language, depend heavily on a completely different suite of DATA step functions than those utilized by the DATA step programmer. This book demystifies these often obscure functions and allows the developer to tap into their power from outside the DATA step.

If you work with the DATA step-and we all do-or if you build applications using the SAS Macro Language, Ron Cody's Functions by Example, Second Edition, must be in your library. Most likely you will discover that its place is not on a shelf, but on your desk, close at hand for easy reference."

Art Carpenter
CALOXY


"I received the pre-publication copy of SAS Functions by Example, Second Edition, and was about to sit down and read it but got a call for help in processing some open-ended responses to survey data. So I thought, 'All right, let's see what this book can do.' Sure enough, Ron Cody to the rescue-the book contained excellent examples of SAS character functions and PERL expressions that allowed me to quickly parse and distill the data down to useful information and present it cleanly. SAS has so many functions that you can never keep them all in your head. Having this well-indexed book to lead me straight to the appropriate functions is a real help. The examples are practical and demonstrate clearly what the output of a function or call will be, so there are no surprises. A timesaver that makes you look like a data magician."

Jeanne Spicer
Managing Director, Programming & Statistics Core Population Research
Institute Penn State University