In order to integrate
a node into a process flow, the SAS Enterprise Miner environment generates
and initializes a variety of macro variables and variables macros
at run time. As a developer, you can take advantage of these macro
variables and variables macros to enable your extension node to function
effectively and efficiently within an Enterprise Miner process flow.
These are documented
in the
Utility Macros section of the SAS Code node help file. In the discussion
that follows, each time a macro is referenced initially, a hyperlink
to its documentation is provided rather than providing syntax diagrams
within the text. Even so, it is recommended that you read both appendixes
before proceeding with this chapter in order to gain an appreciation
of the scope of the tools available to you.
There is also another
reason why you should read
Appendix 1: SAS Code Node
Documentation in
its entirety. The SAS Code node can be used to develop, test, and
modify an extension node's code in the context of a process flow
diagram without being encumbered by deployment issues. There are also
a number of useful examples in the SAS Code node's documentation
that can guide you when writing your own code. However, you should
be aware that the Score Code pane of the SAS Code node's Code
Editor is reserved for what is known as static scoring code. Dynamic
scoring code must be included in the Train code pane of the Code Editor
(this is discussed in greater detail in the SAS Code node documentation).
Therefore, the way that you separate your code into Train, Score,
and Report actions in an extension node might not directly correspond
to the way that you separate your code in the Train, Score, and Report
code panes of the SAS Code node Code Editor. Also, you cannot develop
and test the node's properties file or the node's Create
action using the SAS Code node; you must deploy your extension node
to perform these tasks.