topic Re: Multiple dynamic prompts from a single control table in Developers

Multiple dynamic prompts from a single control table

Quentin — Thu, 25 May 2017 15:14:44 GMT

I'm trying to create a set of dynamic stored process prompts.

I have all the data needed to use as source data for the prompts in a single SAS dataset, that looks like:

Prompt    Value   Label
Prompt1   A         Pretty A
Prompt1   B         Pretty B
Prompt2   X         Pretty X Label
Prompt2   Y         Pretty Y Label
....

That dataset has all of the values and labels for a group of prompts.

What is the best way for me to use this data as a source for the group of dynamic prompts?

I know I can split the data into one dataset for each prompt, and then register each of those tables and use them as a data source for each prompt. But then I end up with N SAS datasets (one for each prompt) and N registered tables.

I would love to have just one SAS dataset and one registered table. Could live with one sas dataset and N registered tables (i.e. each registered table represents a different subset of the SAS dataset).

I don't see a way to register a metadata table and only use a subset of SAS dataset rows. And don't see a way to define a prompt using a metadata table as a source and only use a subset of rows.

Perhaps I should be making an InfoMap to use as a source for my prompts instead? I haven't done that much, but I think there may be more subsetting options?

Re: Multiple dynamic prompts from a single control table

tomrvincent — Mon, 14 Oct 2019 14:56:15 GMT

Have each of the prompts as separate fields in one metadata table.

Re: Multiple dynamic prompts from a single control table

Quentin — Mon, 14 Oct 2019 17:55:41 GMT

At the time I wrote this (2 years ago : ) I was hopeful that I could get it to work in the normalized vertical structure.

I think transposing it to a wide format would be problematic, as each prompt could have a different number of value-label pairs. I guess if there's an option to ignore null values it could work. I hate the thought of a wide dataset like that, but I guess I could maintain the data in the vertical structure, and have a job that PROC TRANSPOSES it to be wide.

Worth a thought, if I run into this again. Thx.

Re: Multiple dynamic prompts from a single control table

tomrvincent — Mon, 14 Oct 2019 18:10:54 GMT

I noticed that nobody provided you with any suggestions which is why I decided to respond. 🙂

Unreplied-to questions are like a sad, cold puppy out in the rain... 🙂

The whole dynamic list is clumsy and limited, but at least it exists at all.

Having 4 fields in the table doesn't seem like that problematic to me. I don't think you could do a transpose out to a metadata table but if you get it to work please share your success story.