Glossary

access mode

the level of access that a user has to an item store. The possible access modes are read, write, and update.

ActiveX

a technology developed by Microsoft that is used to add interactivity to Web pages.

ActiveX control

a type of Web application that is developed specifically for the Windows operating environment. ActiveX controls can provide Web users with interactive capabilities.

after-note

in ODS, a note that is displayed after an output object each time the output object is displayed. The text is assigned to an output object by the procedure that produced the object.

aggregate storage location

a location in an operating system that can contain a group of distinct files. The exact name for this location varies by operating system; for example, directory, folder, or partitioned data set.

aliasing

a visual effect in computer-generated images that produces several types of rendering problems, such as jagged edges along straight lines or polygon boundaries. Aliasing can occur when you try to render an object smaller than pixel size or a very narrow object. In a complex scene, fine details are sometimes lost or distorted beyond recognition due to aliasing.

annotation

a label, marker, or note that is not obtained from the data but is placed on a graph independently. Such annotations might or might not be linked to data values in the plot.

anti-aliasing

a rendering technique for improving the appearance of text and curved lines in a graph by blurring the jagged edges normally present. The degree of improvement is relative to the nature of the graphical content (for example, vertical and horizontal lines do not benefit from anti-aliasing). Extra processing is required to perform anti-aliasing.

before-note

in ODS, a note that is displayed before an output object each time the output object is displayed. The text is assigned to the output object by the procedure that produced the object.

cellvalue

one of the possible values that PROC FREQ can produce for a crosstabulation table. Cellvalues are defined by the DEFINE CELLVALUE statement in a crosstabulation table template.

column attribute

a formatting property that controls aspects of a column, such as the appearance of the cells contents, presentation of data panels, and customization of column headers. Column attributes have a reserved name and value defined in ODS.

crosstab

See crosstabulation table.

crosstabulation table

a two-dimensional table that shows frequency distributions or other aggregate statistics for the intersections of two or more category data items. In a crosstabulation table, categories are displayed on both the columns and rows, and each cell value represents the data result from the intersection of the categories on the specific row and column.

data component

a form, similar to a SAS data set, that contains the results (numbers and characters) of a DATA step or PROC step that supports ODS.

destination

See ODS destination.

device-based graphic

a graph created with SAS/GRAPH software for which a user-specified or default device (DEVICE= option) controls certain aspects of the graphical output.

dictionary variable

a type of memory variable that consists of an array that contains a list of numbers or text strings that can be identified by a key. A dictionary variable has, as part of it's name, a preceding '$' symbol and a subscript that contains a text string. The text string within the subscript is called a key. For example, the following dictionary variable identifies the entry in the $MyDictionary variable that contains the text-string 'dog': $MyDictionary['dog'].

DOCUMENT destination

a SAS Output Delivery System (ODS) destination that produces a hierarchy of output objects. The DOCUMENT destination enables you to render multiple ODS output formats without rerunning a PROC step or DATA step, and it gives you more control over the structure of the output.

exclusion list

a list that tells ODS which output objects to exclude from a specified ODS destination.

footer attribute

a formatting property that controls aspects of a footer, such as the appearance of the footer contents and the placement of the footer. The footer attribute has a reserved name and value definted in ODS.

frequency table

a table that lists each of the distinct values that a variable has within all of the observations in a SAS data set. For each value, the table also lists the number of observations in which the variable has that value.

graph segment

in ODS, a file type or output object that contains a graph. Graphs are created in some SAS procedures, including those in SAS/GRAPH. The graph output object is referenced as a GRSEG.

graphics template

See ODS template.

header attribute

a formatting property that controls aspects of a header, such as the appearance of the header contents and the placement of the header. The header attribute has a reserved name and value defined in ODS.

HTML

See HyperText Markup Language.

HyperText Markup Language

a coding system in which the codes indicate the layout and style of the text in a text file. Other HTML codes enable you to embed electronic objects such as images, sounds, video streams, and applets (small software applications) into HTML documents. All Web browsers can process HTML documents. Short form: HTML.

inline formatting

a feature of the Output Delivery System (ODS) that allows you to insert simple formatting text into ODS output by using the ODS ESCAPECHAR statement.

item store

a SAS data set that consists of pieces of information that can be accessed independently. The contents of an item store are organized in a directory tree structure, which is similar to the directory structures that are used by UNIX System Services or by Windows. For example, a particular value might be stored and located using a directory path (root_dir/sub_dir/value). The SAS Registry is an example of an item store.

list variable

a type of memory variable that consists of an array that contains a list of numbers or text strings that are indexed. A list variable has, as part of its name, a preceding '$' symbol and a subscript that is empty or contains a number or numeric variable. The number within the subscript is called an index. For example, the list variable $Mylist[2] identifies the second entry in the list variable $Mylist. In this case, the index is 2.

LISTING destination

an ODS destination that produces traditional SAS output (monospace format).

LISTING output

SAS procedure output that is in a monospace font. All text in listing output has the same font size, and no special font styles are applied to it.

marker

a symbol such as a diamond, a circle, or a triangle that is used to indicate the location of, or annotate, a data point in a plot or graph.

markup family

See ODS markup family.

markup language

a set of codes that are embedded in text in order to define layout and certain content.

memory variable

within an ODS event, an area of memory that contains numeric data, character data, or lists of numeric or character data. A memory variable can be classified as a dictionary variable if it is created with a subscript that contains a key, or a list variable if it is created with a subscript that is empty or contains an index. If you do not specify a key or an index, then the memory variable is a numeric or character scalar variable, depending on the variable's value.

ODS

See Output Delivery System.

ODS destination

a designation that the Output Delivery System uses to generate a specific type of output. Types of ODS destinations include but are not limited to HTML, XML, listing, PostScript, RTF, and SAS data sets.

ODS document

a hierarchy of output objects created by the DOCUMENT procedure. These objects are in an unformatted form and are placed in a SAS item store.

ODS document path

the location of an entry within an ODS document.

ODS entry

an item in an ODS document. An ODS entry can be either a link, an output object, a file, or a partitioned data set.

ODS event

within a tagset definition, an action that causes output to be generated. Events are usually triggered by SAS but can also be triggered by other events.

ODS Graphics

an extension to ODS that is used to create analytical graphs using the Graph Template Language.

ODS markup family

a group of ODS statements that produce SAS output that is formatted using a markup language such as HTML (HyperText Markup Language), XML (Extensible Markup Language), and LaTeX. SAS supplies many markup languages for you to use, ranging from DOCBOOK to TROFF. You can specify a markup language that SAS supplies, or you can create one of your own and store it as a user-defined markup language.

ODS output

formatted output that is generated by any of the ODS destinations. For example, the OUTPUT destination produces SAS data sets, the LISTING destination produces listing output, and the HTML destination produces output that is formatted in Hypertext Markup Language.

ODS package

a container for information or digital content that is generated or collected for delivery to a consumer. ODS packages allow ODS destinations to use the SAS Publishing Framework.

ODS printer family

a group of ODS statements that produce output in a format such as PostScript (PS), PDF, or PCL that is suitable for printing on a high-resolution printer.

ODS style

See style definition.

ODS template

a description of how output should appear when it is formatted. ODS templates are stored as compiled entries in a template store, also known as an item store. Common template types include STATGRAPH, STYLE, CROSSTABS, TAGSET, and TABLE.

Output Delivery System

a component of SAS software that can produce output in a variety of formats such as markup languages (HTML, XML), PDF, listing, RTF, PostScript, and SAS data sets. Short form: ODS.

output object

a programming object that contains the data that is generated by a DATA step or a PROC step and which can also contain a table definition that provides information about how to format that data.

printer family

See ODS printer family.

Publishing Framework

a component of SAS Integration Technologies that enables both users and applications to publish SAS files (including data sets, catalogs, and database views), other digital content, and system- generated events to a variety of destinations. The Publishing Framework also provides tools that enable both users and applications to receive and process published information.

replay

in ODS, the regeneration of output by the DOCUMENT procedure, in the same or different format, without rerunning analyses or data queries.

root file location

the top level of a file location in an ODS document. A root file location is not contained within another file location and does not have a name assigned to it. A root file location is similar to the root directory of a Windows operating environment.

SASEDOC engine

a SAS engine that associates a SAS libref (library reference) with one or more ODS output objects that are stored in an ODS document.

scalar variable

a type of memory variable that contains one-dimensional numeric or character data. Once created, scalar variables are globally available in all events.

stream variable

within an ODS event, a temporary item store that contains output. While the stream variable is open, all output is directed to it until it is closed.

style

See style definition.

style attribute

a visual property, such as color, font properties, and line characteristics, that has a reserved name and value defined in ODS. Style attributes are collectively referenced by a style element within a style definition.

style definition

a template that specifies instructions for the presentation aspects (color, font face, font size, and so on) of your SAS output. This template determines the overall appearance of the documents that use it. Each style definition is composed of style elements.

style definition inheritance

the concept that a child style definition receives all the style elements, attributes, and statements that are specified in its parent style definition unless the child style definition overrides them.

style element

a named collection of style attributes that affects specific parts of ODS output. For example, a style element might specify the color and font properties of title text or other text in in a table or graph.

style element inheritance

the concept that a child style element receives all of the style attributes that are specified in its parent style element, unless the child style element overrides those attributes.

table attribute

a formatting property such as layout of headers, line spacing, and layout of rows and columns, that has a reserved name and value defined in ODS.

table definition

a set of instructions that describe how to format output in the Output Delivery System (ODS).

table element

a collection of table attributes that each pertain to a particular column, header, or footer in a table in ODS output.

table template

a template that describes how to display the output for a tabular output object. A table template determines the order of table headers and footers, the order of columns, and the overall appearance of the output object that uses it. Each table template contains or references table elements.

tagset

a template that defines how to create a type of markup language output from a SAS format. Tagsets produce markup output such as Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), Extensible Markup Language (XML), and LaTeX.

tagset definition

a template that specifies instructions for creating a markup language for your SAS output. The resulting output contains embedded instructions in order to define layout and some content. Each tagset definition contains event definitions and event attributes that control the generation of the output. SAS provides tagset definitions for a variety of markup languages. You can use the TEMPLATE procedure to modify any of these SAS tagsets or to create your own tagsets.

template store

an item store that contains definitions that were created by the TEMPLATE procedure. Definitions that SAS provides are in the item store Sashelp.Tmplmst. You can store definitions that you create in any template store to which you have write access.