topic Re: Free webinar: Top 10 SAS Functions - October 12, 2017 in SAS Programming

Free webinar: Top 10 SAS Functions - October 12, 2017

megak8 — Thu, 21 Sep 2017 16:23:36 GMT

Have you ever wondered if there are functions that are popular among SAS users? If so, what are they? Join us as we focus on the most frequently used SAS functions that:

Manipulate character data (extract, search and concatenate values).
Work with SAS date and time values.
Manipulate numeric data (summarize data and round the results).

https://www.sas.com/en_us/webinars/top10-sas-functions/register.html

Re: Free webinar: Top 10 SAS Functions - October 12, 2017

tomrvincent — Mon, 14 Oct 2019 18:27:35 GMT

How would one determine which are the top 10 functions?

Re: Free webinar: Top 10 SAS Functions - October 12, 2017

hashman — Mon, 14 Oct 2019 21:55:46 GMT

@tomrvincent:

Even if there were a way to determine that (via a survey, say), I've never suspected that when one is writing a program and needs to chose a SAS function to perform a concrete programming action, the decision could be influenced by anything but the nature of this action. Basing it on which functions are more "popular" and which are less would appear to me arbitrary at best. Even if there were more than one function suiting the task, my choice wouldn't be dictated by how they rank in terms of "popularity" but by other factors.

The only aspect I can see in which the "popularity" of functions may make sense is which functions a newbie should learn first - by the same token as when one studies a foreign language, it's more reasonable to focus on more widely used rather than on more obscure vocabulary. The parallel, though, is rather tangential, as computer languages and natural languages aren't learned in quite the same way.

Kind regards

Paul D.

Re: Free webinar: Top 10 SAS Functions - October 12, 2017

Patrick — Mon, 14 Oct 2019 23:14:34 GMT

@tomrvincent

Why do you dig out and answer on all these old discussions from 2017??

Re: Free webinar: Top 10 SAS Functions - October 12, 2017

tomrvincent — Wed, 16 Oct 2019 12:01:10 GMT

Why not? Nobody else did and I didn't 'answer'...I questioned.

Re: Free webinar: Top 10 SAS Functions - October 12, 2017

tomrvincent — Wed, 16 Oct 2019 12:06:00 GMT

The phrase 'most frequently used SAS functions' is what I thought intriguing...how would one gather and search enough programs (and their frequency of being run) to collect a sample size and then extrapolate that to the population of SAS users?

Re: Free webinar: Top 10 SAS Functions - October 12, 2017

Patrick — Wed, 16 Oct 2019 12:20:09 GMT

@tomrvincent

Well: I can't see much value to revive a 2 year old discussion. There is a good chance that the OP won't reply and add additional value.We're certainly not helping anymore so that's just about closure.

Ideally all questions would get an answer marked as solution - but reality is of course different.

My personal opinion:

- Inactive questions should get closed automatically after some time like in other forums so no one can add additional stuff to it (like: piggy backing on old discussions instead of asking a new questions).

- I can limit searches on discussions which have been marked as resolved

Re: Free webinar: Top 10 SAS Functions - October 12, 2017

tomrvincent — Wed, 16 Oct 2019 14:19:25 GMT

Well, you know what they say about opinions.