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SAS Abbreviations

This page provides links to papers and example files so you can get started with SAS abbreviations, which can reduce repetitive typing and remind you of your favorite syntax.

SAS abbreviations are macros that you can create with the SAS Enhanced Editor in the Windows operating environment. You can define a character string so that when you type it and then press the TAB key or the ENTER key, the string expands to a longer character string. You can share abbreviations with others by exporting and importing them as a KMF file.

SAS® Abbreviations Are Your Friends; Use a Template Method to Code! (PDF) by Elizabeth Ceranowski, SAS Institute, Cary, NC
This paper, from SAS Global Forum 2009, shows the benefits of SAS abbreviations and steps through examples.

SAS Abbreviations (external link) by Ed Heaton, Westat, USA, M. Chris Moser, Contractor for DataMeans, USA, and Russ Lavery, contractor for Numeric Resources, USA
On the Web site of the Data Means company, three SAS users provide instructions and two KMF files that contain abbreviations for approximately four hundred SAS functions and procedures.

Using the Enhanced Editor in SAS Companion for Windows
See the SAS documentation for information about creating and using abbreviations.

SAS Note
This SAS Note shows how to export a KMF file.
To import a KMF file, select Tools > Keyboard Macros > Macros. A window opens, and at the bottom is a button for IMPORT. Select the button and navigate to where you stored the file. SAS reads it automatically.

Disclaimer

The KMF files and instructions are contributed by a customer and are not supported by SAS Technical Support.

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