Hi,
It may be useful to describe how SAS works by default and then describe whethere there are any differences when using Enterprise Guide and THEN describe whether there are any differences when using EG on an Information Map.
In BASE SAS, by default PROC PRINT does NOT use variable labels, but PROC REPORT DOES use variable labels, if they are defined.
When you move over to the world of EG, PROC PRINT becomes the LIST DATA task. In the world of EG, the LIST DATA task generates PROC PRINT code that does use labels, because, by default inside EG's task pane, there is a checkbox that says: "Use variable labels as column headings". You explicitly have to UNCHECK this box to get EG to use the variable names instead.
Finally, if the data source is an Information Map and if the Information Map has labels, then the behavior inside EG is the same -- the LIST DATA task should use the Information Map labels, if the checkbox for using variable labels is checked. If you run PROC PRINT using code, then you would NOT get labels unless you specified the LABEL option in your code.
Similarly, if I have created a Work file from an Information Map, and if the Information Map had Labels for the variables and if I used PROC REPORT code to write a report on that file, then PROC REPORT should use the labels. Of course, in PROC REPORT, you could use the NOHEADER option to turn the header off altogether, but that's not what you asked.
The bottom line is that PROC PRINT/LIST DATA and PROC REPORT should work on Information Maps the same way they work on your DATA files -- if the file has labels defined.
I do not understand what you mean when you say you have to "give the column labels explicitly in the Filter and Query". When I put an Information Map in my project and then select Filter and Query -- then in the Column Name field on the Select Data tab, I see the column information like this:
[pre]
Prod_Name (Product Name)
Prod_ID (Product ID)
[/pre]
And then when I run the List Data task, because the check box is checked, I see Product Name and Product ID in my output. Are you sure that the Information Map has had labels assigned???? Do you see the label in parentheses in the Filter and Query Select Data tab????
I have tried this several different ways and my results are always the same. I do see column labels and the column labels are used whether the data source is coming from an Information Map or not. I even logged onto Information Map studio to make sure that the labels I was seeing were the labels defined in the Information Map and they are.
This is the process from one of my tests:
1) start EG
2) start a new project
3) go to SAS folders and locate the Information Map of interest and double click on the Information Map name
4) The "Open Information Map" dialog box opens
5) the first tab is the Data Items tab. I select the columns on the Data Items tab. When I move a column over to the "Selected items" table, I see the Label, Type, SAS Name and Description columns in that order. My Information Map has labels assigned, so I see those labels in the first column.
6) then I take the defaults on the Filters tab and the Output data tab and click OK -- at that point, EG makes a WORK table from my Information Map. When I view the table in the table viewer window, I see the column names.
7) However, if I right mouse click on a specific column and select Properties, I can see that a column label is there (and I did not type it in -- it came from the Information Map).
8) I highlight the WORK table in the Project Designer and select
Describe --> List Data
9) Inside the List Data task, I select some variables and make sure that the check box for "Use variable labels as column headings" is checked.
10) When I run my List Data task, I see the column labels in my List Data report.
I even tried this on an information map where I had a calculated column whose name was "DII_29", but the label was "Customer Birthday Month" -- what I saw in my List Data task output and in my PROC REPORT output was Customer Birthday Month.
If this is not your experience, verify that you do have a label assigned in your Information Map, by double checking the Map using Information Map Studio. If you see a label in the Information Map and you are not able to surface the label in EG as described above, then your best bet for help with this issue is to contact Tech Support.
cynthia
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