https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Procedures/I-need-some-serious-help-with-SAS/m-p/72212#M20912 Open EG, pull down the menu, find and click on the appropriate stored proc's or (custom) tasks to read data files or to set missing values. Can't find one that does exactly what you want? Bug the excellent tech support to make one for you. This is why SAS is so wonderful and your teacher seems to be behind the curve if s/he does not show you this great new way of using SAS. <span class="lia-unicode-emoji" title=":slightly_smiling_face:">🙂</span> <BR /> <BR /> Seriously, stored proc's generate and submit sas code behind the scene, and you get access to the generated code. It is machine (or macro) generated, so they are not at all like hand-crafted by a skilled coder, but you can at least see how your intentions are translated into some kinds of sas code. Some instructors do recommend using the EG generated code as the starting point of your customization. (Personally, I don't.) Wed, 15 Sep 2010 02:33:15 GMT chang_y_chung_hotmail_com 2010-09-15T02:33:15Z https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Procedures/I-need-some-serious-help-with-SAS/m-p/72211#M20911 I've never used SAS before, and I am having trouble understanding the basics of the program. I'm taking a class on it, but the teacher goes too fast and we don't follow along with his examples directly in SAS. What is some basic syntax that serve as the foundation for SAS, like reading data files or setting missing values. Thank you so much for any of your help, I keep hearing that SAS is a wonderful program, but I am having a seriously hard time seeing why. Wed, 15 Sep 2010 02:20:13 GMT https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Procedures/I-need-some-serious-help-with-SAS/m-p/72211#M20911 deleted_user 2010-09-15T02:20:13Z https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Procedures/I-need-some-serious-help-with-SAS/m-p/72212#M20912 Open EG, pull down the menu, find and click on the appropriate stored proc's or (custom) tasks to read data files or to set missing values. Can't find one that does exactly what you want? Bug the excellent tech support to make one for you. This is why SAS is so wonderful and your teacher seems to be behind the curve if s/he does not show you this great new way of using SAS. <span class="lia-unicode-emoji" title=":slightly_smiling_face:">🙂</span> <BR /> <BR /> Seriously, stored proc's generate and submit sas code behind the scene, and you get access to the generated code. It is machine (or macro) generated, so they are not at all like hand-crafted by a skilled coder, but you can at least see how your intentions are translated into some kinds of sas code. Some instructors do recommend using the EG generated code as the starting point of your customization. (Personally, I don't.) Wed, 15 Sep 2010 02:33:15 GMT https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Procedures/I-need-some-serious-help-with-SAS/m-p/72212#M20912 chang_y_chung_hotmail_com 2010-09-15T02:33:15Z https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Procedures/I-need-some-serious-help-with-SAS/m-p/72213#M20913 You can get some guidance, assistance at the SAS support site <A href="http://support.sas.com/" target="_blank">http://support.sas.com/</A> and the eLearn content.<BR /> <BR /> Scott Barry<BR /> SBBWorks, Inc.<BR /> <BR /> Suggested Google advanced search argument, this topic / post:<BR /> <BR /> elearn site:sas.com<BR /> <BR /> data step intro site:sas.com<BR /> <BR /> data step examples site:sas.com Wed, 15 Sep 2010 12:58:10 GMT https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Procedures/I-need-some-serious-help-with-SAS/m-p/72213#M20913 sbb 2010-09-15T12:58:10Z https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Procedures/I-need-some-serious-help-with-SAS/m-p/72214#M20914 Two good books on EGuide are "SAS for Dummies" and "The Little SAS book of Enterprise Guide 4.x". Wed, 15 Sep 2010 13:25:25 GMT https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Procedures/I-need-some-serious-help-with-SAS/m-p/72214#M20914 Doc_Duke 2010-09-15T13:25:25Z