Reliability of ODS PDF NEWFILE= in SAS 9.1.3

[MikeRhoads]

We will be running PROC REPORT (actually, several different PROC REPORTs) to produce a report for 9 regions. The output for each region is to be sent to the supervisor for that region.

I had planned on producing PDF files, and had vaguely remembered that ODS had a NEWFILE= option that could start a separate file for each BY-group. To my horror, when I looked at the ODS PDF documentation, I didn't see this option listed.

At any rate, after considering some less than satisfactory alternatives, I decided to try a quick prototype anyway. It worked, but noted that "Newfile is an experimental option for Printer."

Normally we avoid using experimental software in production jobs. However, I figured I'd check to see if there was any sense for how reliable (or unreliable) NEWFILE has turned out to be in 9.1.3 with ODS PDF.

Thanks!

[ScottH_SAS]

Mike,

Experimental software is software that has been developed but it hasn't been fully tested by our testers. I would recommend against using experimental software in production jobs.

The good news is that "newfile=" is production quality in 9.2. 9.2 is due to ship in the 1st quarter of 2007

Scott

[Cynthia_sas]

Mike:
I have been teaching NEWFILE= for PDF (as experimental). Even though it's not listed in the DOC and may be officially considered experimental until 9.2, I have not experienced any problems with using it in SAS 9.1.3 and you know how I can bang on things to try to break them! Here's the site where it is listed -- the doc for it would essentially be the same as the doc for NEWFILE= with HTML or RTF:
[pre]
http://support.sas.com/rnd/base/topics/odsprinter/new91.html
[/pre]
If your production requirements are such that you cannot use experimental software, then you will have to bypass newfile= for PDF until it's officially production.
cynthia