BookmarkSubscribeRSS Feed
MikeThain
Calcite | Level 5

My department maintains all sorts of jobs and reports based on SAS, in a mainframe/batch environment (ie JCL green screens).

I have been enrolled in an expensive training program from the SAS Institute.  One of the first parts of the training asks me to install files from a zip file.  "Open SAS" and run some files.  I can't "open SAS" because I don't have it.  It is embedded on the mainframe.

They provide some extremely limited instructions to work in z/OS.  but I can't even figure out the basics like how to make a dataset to put the learning file into.  They really give no guidance.  They assume you already know how to use SAS.

Anyway, the training shows examples in Windows using SAS Enterprise Guide.  I would like to get that and use it instead, at least for learning the SAS language.  But when I called SAS just to find out if that is a free download, or if not how much it would cost, they said they would call me back and never did.  So I just want to know a ballpark for how much it would cost me to get this tool.  Also, if I had that tool, would I be able to use it to access the jobs on the Base SAS that I already have (on the mainframe) or would I have to purchase another Base SAS for Windows?  I haven't been able to find answers to these questions via a Google search, and the SAS company didn't call me back.  Can anyone with more knowledge about this help me out?

6 REPLIES 6
art297
Opal | Level 21

I don't have an answer for you but, hopefully, you will find the following paper and website useful:

http://sastechies.blogspot.com/2010/03/running-sas-on-mainframe-in-batch-mode.html

Tom
Super User Tom
Super User

Look at the documentation on-line at SAS for your operating environment. 

For example: http://support.sas.com/documentation/cdl/en/hosto390/63083/HTML/default/viewer.htm#titlepage.htm

Are you using TSO? CMS?  If one of those then you should be able to run interactively using SAS on your mainframe.  You will need to work with your local experts to see how to get files from your PC onto the mainframe for you to include them into an interactive SAS session.

Of course if the training materials are for Enterprise Guide then using interactive SAS might not be covered.

SASKiwi
PROC Star

Enterprise Guide is a Windows-based thin-client interface to the SAS System. That is it must connect with a SAS server to do all the processing. A SAS server can be as simple as a "foundation" SAS installation on your PC or it can be on other servers in your organisation, including mainframes. For training purposes, a foundation SAS plus EG install on the same PC would be the quickest and easiest way to get up and running if there are no other SAS servers in your company. Only your SAS representative would be able to give you a definitive cost for this, and it varies depending on if your company already has SAS PC licences already or not. Suggest you keep bugging them until you get the answers you need!

susanm_sas
SAS Employee

Hi Mike,

I'm so sorry to hear that you're struggling with your SAS course.   I think Tech Support and our Education department can work together to help get you going.     Could you either contact Tech Support (919-677-8008) or Education at 800-333-7660 to let us know what course you're taking and then we'll get busy!

Thanks,

Susan

MikeThain
Calcite | Level 5

Thanks for the answers.  I discovered that regardless of cost, my company is not going to use any Windows based app like Enterprise Guide.  I have to use the mainframe batch environment for learning.  Another guy here who is a little more experienced on the mainframe is working on building JCL code to run the learning files.  I'm not quite sure what this entails, or quite how they will work in practice, but hopefully that will solve my problems.

susanm_sas
SAS Employee

Hi Mike,

Our offer still stands, and I'd love for you to tell us which course you're using so we can look at the material and see what we could improve.    Please contact SAS Tech Support (you can also e-mail support@sas.com) if you still have questions!

Susan

suga badge.PNGThe SAS Users Group for Administrators (SUGA) is open to all SAS administrators and architects who install, update, manage or maintain a SAS deployment. 

Join SUGA 

CLI in SAS Viya

Learn how to install the SAS Viya CLI and a few commands you may find useful in this video by SAS’ Darrell Barton.

Find more tutorials on the SAS Users YouTube channel.

Discussion stats
  • 6 replies
  • 1588 views
  • 6 likes
  • 5 in conversation