SAS EG: Integration of code viewing - expansion - consolidation within EG projects

[Alex_C]

SAS EG needs functionality to:

1. convert (consolidate) groups of ETL process flow steps into programs without having to export (and vice versa - see 2.)

2. expand program code so it can be viewed as individual steps in the ETL process flow window

3. view the code for the entire project in one window, which should change in line with edits in the process flow/ query editors and vice versa - this is vital so that users aren't forced to view snippets of code by constantly opening and closing query steps in the process flow window.

Reasoning:

Currently viewing SAS code in SAS EG is all broke up into little pieces. This is forced by the design of SAS EG.

However, Base SAS users are familiar with editing code down the page in a single editor window.

Even though SAS EG users might find ETL (drag and drop) style editing of steps in the process flow window simple. It is difficult for Base SAS users to move across to SAS EG.

The code of each of the programs and ETL process flow steps in any particular project are still not well integrated into a single window.

These limitations hamper quality assurance review of work by different colleagues within an organisation because different working styles are not well accounted for in SAS EG.

Notwithstanding that SAS EG allows users to either export code from a process flow or to view the code of individual programs or of individual process flows separately, there is still no single location for the code of the entire project to be viewed in one editor window like in Base SAS. Implementing the suggestions above would help Base SAS users to work with SAS EG and allow different users to integrate their working styles together more easily.

[BillSawyer]

Hi Alex,

Part of the challenge is that EG projects are usually far more complex than just query tasks and custom code, and not all EG tasks generate SAS code. And, some or all of those custom programs might be linked .sas programs that can be edited and updated outside the EG project file.

I cannot imagine how difficult it would be to keep up with all the possible edits/updates.  For example, in the master program you might copy a full data step or proc step or just a line or partial line of code then expect EG to be smart enough to know whether you want that particular

edit to then update the associated "sub" program or query task. 

I can see a master program being updated as changes are being made in the "sub" programs and tasks, but, I can not see edits in the master program going back to the sub programs and tasks.  The master program would have to have some kind of visual tag to show you the link....just don't see that happening. 

Additionally, BASE SAS has nothing like what you are suggesting, but, at least EG 8.1 (see link below) will offer several new features in the new design that will directly appeal to SAS DMS programmers, but still not what you are describing.

https://support.sas.com/en/software/enterprise-guide-support.html

I will wait for one of the developers to respond to provide additional feedback before entering this into our system as a formal request for R&D and Product Management to consider for a future release.

Thanks,

Bill

[Alex_C]

Thanks Bill. Obviously that's all important to consider.

Although, I did put forward three sub-suggestions. Two of which ought to be able to be implemented as basic functionality, namely the expansion of programs to process flow steps and the consolidation of process flow steps to programs. This would involve some level of commitment by the user to give up the capacity to edit programs outside the project. And perhaps this would only be possible for basic combinations of steps but nonetheless the functionality would still be useful.

Further, I imagine that if it is possible to export code from a process flow of from the project itself then one aspect of what I am describing is for that functionality to exist internally to the project rather than to export and view it externally. If you can export it then you ought to be able to view it. And even if the linkages are not able to be easily maintained because of the complexities of certain projects as you suggest, having some kind of viewing capacity of the overall code would still be useful. Without knowing the internal engine of EG I can only imagine and hope that my request is possible. But even if a master program contains instructions/code of other languages then I would hope it is still appropriate to access and edit that as part of the overall picture.

Cheers

Alex

[BillSawyer]

Hi Alex,

EG already has the ability to convert a single sas program into multiple steps in a process flow using the Analyze Program feature/menu which is at the top of the Program editor window. 

And, you already know about the Export All Code feature.

Neither of these features will fully address your sub-goals or overall goals.

I'll wait for R&D's response before opening one or more formal new feature requests.

Regards,

Bill

[bbenbaruch]

i AGREE.  I have suggested this years ago when my company moved us to EG 4.x.

It would also be useful to be able to cull the Project log to get rid of pieces of it that are no longer necessary to us for tracking our work history.