How to create a project arrangement in SAS Base like in SAS EG

[Phil_NZ]

Hi SAS Experts!

In SAS EG, we can change the code easily among programs in one project, but I am not sure we can do it in SAS Base because it seems to me that SAS Base does not have the code flow as SAS EG

I am wondering if you can suggest me how to create the code flow like this in SAS Base?

2. And I face a problem when trying to inserting the code generate from SAS EG to Base SAS. It just show the Japanese character. For example:

And what it shows is

Can you please help me to sort it out.

Many thanks and warmest regards.

[andreas_lds]

Creating a "main"-program-file using %include to load/execute the programs in the expected order seems to be the convenient way to solve such issues.

[Kurt_Bremser]

You tried to load a .egp file into your program editor. EG project files are ZIP archives of a XML directory tree.

The "PK" you see at the start of the file are the initials of the creator of the ZIP algorithm (Phil Katz).

[LinusH]

1. Base SAS, or Display Manager System (DMS) to be more precise, does not have that functionality. Since thsi interface have reached it's en-of-life, it's not expected this will be added. So you need to adopt to the interfaces that is still developeed (EG and SAS Studio).

2. As per my answer on 1., egp file scannot be used within DMS SAS. To be able to update code generated by EG, you need to save it first from as a .sas-file.

Why don't you use EG?

[Phil_NZ]

Hi @LinusH 

It is a great question ,I go through a couple of forum and I experience myself.

From some discussion, Base SAS is much faster compared to SAS EG (https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-difference-between-base-SAS-and-SAS-enterprise-guide)

From my own experience, I have a topic here(https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/Enterprise-Guide-was-unable-to-submit-this-job-succes... ), when I run the code in SAS EG, it announce the error "Enterprise Guide was unable to submit this job successfully "while this code runs smoothly in BASE SAS.

Apart from that, my supervisor said that SAS EG just for beginner to make used to SAS, and they asked me to gradually change to SAS Base.

I am not sure whether it is a fallacy?

[Kurt_Bremser · Accepted solution]

I am a very old-school SAS coder, but my main interface to the SAS system has been EG for a long time.

We have a BI Server setup, and using the graphical interface over the network is very slow, as it creates tons of traffic. EG "talks" to the server only when sending code or receiving results.

While coding, the response time of Base SAS via X Windows over the network (add VPN because of home office) is noticeable, while EG lets me type and re-type at normal speed.

I rarely make use of the EG tasks, mainly using code nodes, but sometimes I use the tasks to get a quick code piece for a non-familiar procedure on which to expand.

DM only makes sense when SAS runs natively on your workstation, which should not be the case in a larger environment (multiple users), as it costs licenses and is a bear to administrate.

[LinusH]

DMS SAS might be a faster UI, but will that diffference really affect your productiviy?

Especially compared when you have fatures in EG that will help you structure your work, hand-over etc.

And rthen of course the maintenance of having fat clients, GDPR aspects of haveing "local" data etc etc.

For your problem in rth other thread - EG executes in Base SAS. So th UI is not of importance here. The only things that should matter are options that are in effect differently beacuse of interactive UI (DMS) or background/server (EG). And serach paths of couse in case you connect EG to a SAS server rather than a local SAS Foundation installation.

I know that there are a lot of ols school people out there that have problem adopting to new technologuy, but sooner or later most sites will have move to a server/cloud based infrastructure, question is when.

[andreas_lds]

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@Phil_NZ wrote:
..

Apart from that, my supervisor said that SAS EG just for beginner to make used to SAS, and they asked me to gradually change to SAS Base.

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This (the bold highlighted text) is the most-stupid statement i have read about SAS EG for quite a while. I would not consider using display manager for even a second, while having EG at hand, but maybe i am still a beginner. Why do i prefer EG?

1. In EG you don't have to number your programs, you can create a workflow by connecting the programs in the required order. While you can have the programs in alphabetic order in the project  tree at the same time. And while executing the code, you actually see which part of the flow is running.
2. You can have every program of a project on the screen with just one click - you just need to add them to the project, once.
3. Using different project-flows allows grouping of program files, so that you have all macros in on place, and everything still under development in another.
4. I could add more points, put they are only relevant in BI environments.

[Phil_NZ]

Hi @andreas_lds !

You are right, I agree with the points 1,2,3 because I feel these convenience when using SAS EG. Many thanks, and from all your ideas, I have more confidence and evidence to continue using SAS EG.

Many thanks and warmest regards.