https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Enterprise-Guide/What-exactly-is-Parameter-use-for/m-p/30460#M4108 Hi people, <BR /> <BR /> I am finding hard to understand the use of parameter in SAS Eguide. I know it allows a user to select certain values to be ran in stored process. However, I created parameter and ran the script, seriously, still couldn't figure out how it helps me stored process.<BR /> <BR /> is there any helpful articles that really helps me understand the use of parameters? Also how to create parameters in proper way? <BR /> <BR /> cheers,<BR /> Yennie Tue, 15 Dec 2009 00:54:11 GMT Yennie 2009-12-15T00:54:11Z https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Enterprise-Guide/What-exactly-is-Parameter-use-for/m-p/30460#M4108 Hi people, <BR /> <BR /> I am finding hard to understand the use of parameter in SAS Eguide. I know it allows a user to select certain values to be ran in stored process. However, I created parameter and ran the script, seriously, still couldn't figure out how it helps me stored process.<BR /> <BR /> is there any helpful articles that really helps me understand the use of parameters? Also how to create parameters in proper way? <BR /> <BR /> cheers,<BR /> Yennie Tue, 15 Dec 2009 00:54:11 GMT https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Enterprise-Guide/What-exactly-is-Parameter-use-for/m-p/30460#M4108 Yennie 2009-12-15T00:54:11Z https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Enterprise-Guide/What-exactly-is-Parameter-use-for/m-p/30461#M4109 Hi:<BR /> Here are a couple of scenarios for illustration purposes.<BR /> <BR /> 1) you work for a company and there are 100 business analysts. Every analyst is responsible for a different Product (or country or region or -something). Do you make 100 stored processes -- one for each analyst, or do you make 1 stored process with a parameter that allows each analyst to select -their- product? Part of the power of parameters in a stored process is that you can use the data itself to provide a parameter list in a drop down box -- so the analyst can just pick from a list.<BR /> <BR /> 2) You work for a company that does forecasting. The basic statistical analysis always uses the same STAT procedure -- the only thing that changes are some of the options that control the STAT procedure and perhaps the time period of data being analyzed. Do you make a stored process for every possible combination of options and dates, or make a stored process which shows the 'changeable' options for the STAT procedure and allows the analyst/forecaster to select the date range of the data?? <BR /> <BR /> If you perform a Google search on SAS stored processes and parameters, I'm sure you will find many user group papers that talk about how to set and use parameters.<BR /> <BR /> Even if you do NOT use SAS Stored Processes, the Parameter Manager in SAS EG is a powerful tool which allows you to make your projects and tasks more flexible. Again, a Google search on Enterprise Guide and Parameter Manager may provide you with some user group papers on the subject.<BR /> <BR /> SAS Stored Processes and EG parameters are both tapping into the underlying power of the SAS Macro facility. For an overall introduction to the SAS Macro facility, I find that this is a good paper:<BR /> <A href="http://www2.sas.com/proceedings/sugi28/056-28.pdf" target="_blank">http://www2.sas.com/proceedings/sugi28/056-28.pdf</A><BR /> <BR /> cynthia Tue, 15 Dec 2009 17:31:00 GMT https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Enterprise-Guide/What-exactly-is-Parameter-use-for/m-p/30461#M4109 Cynthia_sas 2009-12-15T17:31:00Z