Clinical Trials Simulation System by Westfall et al.

[monsieur]

Hi everyone,

I recently came across several articles of Westfall et al. about clinical trials simulation and especially the SAS-based simulation system created by them and now stored at Biopharmnet server.

http://www.biopharmnet.com/innovation/trial_simulation/cts1.php

Using SAS 9.4, I tried to follow the instructions to run the program but no luck so far. You’ll find a screenshot of the system files as attached. I would like to ask if you has experiences with this system or something similar:

1. Is the program app.txt the same as app.bat?
2. Where to introduce the library TRUELOCA? Should I write :

libname TRUELOCA “C:\local”;

just after %let path=

in the same build_all.sas?

    3. When I try to open the popup file, it says that the category file was built under a different system. My guess is 32bits vs 64bits systems. I only have SAS 64bits. What should I do?

I would really appreciate any of your inputs.

[RW9]

Well, firstly and most important, if you have issues with something developed by that company you should contact them with regards to it.  It is not SAS related but something developed elsewhere, and you will be lucky to find anyone else using it.

Some pointers, no app.bat is not the same as app.txt, well at least it may be, but the file extension .bat tells windows it is a batch file and that the commands in there are something the OS will understand how to read, .txt is just a text file so would open with Notepad for instance (but as they are both text they could be the same).

At a guess:

libname TRUELOCA “C:\local”;

just after %let path=

I would put all %let's at the top, then libnames afterwards yes.

Yes, its likely to be a bit difference issue.  I don't know of a way to convert catalogs from 32bit to 64bit, you could try this:

http://support.sas.com/kb/38/339.html

[monsieur]

Thanks RW9 for your input.

The program was initially developed and owned by Vertex Pharmaceuticals but then has been donated to BioPharmNet group and become open source for everyone to use.

I did try to contact Mr. Westfall but there is no answer until now so I posted my questions here hoping someone might use this program before. 

Since I only have 64-bit SAS, I couldn't test the conversion solution.

[ballardw]

Do you have SAS/AF and FSP licensed? The code in Build_all.SAS requires Proc Build which I believe requires AF to use some of the components in that catalog. That indicates that even if you can convert the catalog that you may still not be able to run the application without SAS/AF.

[monsieur]

Hi ballardw,

You're right about SAS/AF. And I don't think my company has its license though.