About hollandnumerics

hollandnumerics · ‎01-31-2024

@gallina Feel free to Like my entry as well as commenting on it! 😉

hollandnumerics · ‎01-26-2024

Hi Chris @ChrisHemedinger I appreciate your desire to build excitement and engagement for the entries, but when 2 entries appear to have 69 and 39 votes each, but 61 and 24 respectively are from SAS Employees, it does look more like cronyism, rather than community engagement. I appreciate that the rules favour the judging panel, but the publicity for these awards suggested a more significant influence for the community votes, which is why, I suspect, your community membership has been boosted! We will just have to see if the inflated voting has any impact on the final results! ............Phil PS. Maybe you should encourage your SAS colleagues to vote more widely?

hollandnumerics · ‎01-24-2024

Is it ethical for SAS Employees to vote in large numbers for their local customers? Surely these awards should be free from bias!

hollandnumerics · ‎01-24-2024

Thank you @suksel_retired and @kiranv_

hollandnumerics · ‎01-19-2024

Thank you Markus 😊

hollandnumerics · ‎01-14-2024

Hi Quentin, I have always used the following motto: "Never treat a problem as a problem, but treat it as an opportunity!" Thank you...........Phil

hollandnumerics · ‎01-14-2024

I first used SAS 79.5 software at the University of London Computer Centre in 1981. I became SAS Site Representative for Prudential Assurance in London in 1984, and installed SAS 82.3 and 82.4 on their IBM mainframes. In 1988 I moved to Centre-file in London, a software house belonging to NatWest Bank, as a Capacity Planner, where I made heavy use of their pen-plotters with SAS/GRAPH on various releases of SAS 5. I was then made redundant from there in 1992, when the work NatWest Bank had been passing to Centre-file was being back in-house. Almost immediately, as an interim measure, I started doing freelance IT and SAS contracts through my own company Holland Numerics Limited in Belgium, returning to contracts in the UK in 1994. My aim as a freelance contractor has always been to help my clients to the best of my ability, but also to use my independence to highlight problems which my clients need to address, even if they have tried to ignore them in the past. While in Belgium I did a short contract using SAS and DB/2 to analyse computer usage, and then spent the rest of my time there working on SAS 6 for OS/2 and MVS at a securities bank. My first contract in the UK was the first of many at Glaxo with its evolving names. The first was in 1994 for Glaxo R&D using SAS for UNIX and VMS. This was followed a few years later by contract at Glaxo Wellcome, where I built a SAS for Windows front-end to a VB assay program that used SAS/GRAPH, SAS/ACCESS for ODBC and DDE. My last direct contract with GSK was in the WorldWide Epidemiology group in 2003, which followed a SAS contract at Barclaycard, where I was analysing fraud data. The GSK contract, albeit in a clinical environment, required exactly the same SAS programming techniques as at Barclaycard, so I was more than able to write efficient programs in my first week at GSK. Between 1995 and 2005 I worked on a wide variety of SAS platforms and business sectors, including designing and managing a SAS UNIX server for a credit bank that extracted data from a mainframe, a SAS for Windows application for help centre team management for an assurance company and campaign management software for a marketing company, a SAS/EIS business management tool for an insurance software house, and performance tuning a mainframe SAS program suite at the European Patent Office in The Hague. From 2005 to the present day I have worked almost exclusively in the pharmaceutical sector for both pharmaceutical companies and contract research organisations. The difficulties in the finance sector after 9/11 has made me realise that high rates and short contracts are unsettling, whereas drug development is a much more reliable source of work and income. While this sector may not be at the forefront of SAS technology, I have still been heavily involved with SAS Grid, SAS Enterprise Guide, SAS Studio and ODS Graphics implementations. From 1995 I started presenting SAS-related papers at international conferences, beginning at SeUGI in Stockholm. My most recent presentation about SAS Enterprise Guide was at the virtual SAS Global Forum in 2021, where I was assisted by Peedy on the video, who had been included in version 1.1 of SAS Enterprise Guide in 2001, using a program I had written in VB.Net to revive him. I have published 4 SAS-related books, plus 7 SAS-related course booklets, since 2007, and I am currently working on my SAS memoirs as my final book before I retire. I enjoy helping my clients and encouraging new SAS programmers, but what I still love doing is SAS programming. After over 40 years of SAS programming I can now think in the SAS language, so, if I can sort out a solution to a problem in my head, I am able to write out a rough draft of an entire program! In 2017 I won the first Lifetime Achievement Award from SAS UK, and my wife congratulated me by saying that it meant that I could retire then. It has taken me 7 years to agree with her, but until then I will still be doing my interim measure of freelance SAS programming! 43 years working with SAS software has been my working lifetime. 43 years working with SAS software has been an achievement, which I have thoroughly enjoyed. The only part I am missing would be an award!?

hollandnumerics · ‎01-13-2024

Company: Holland Numerics Ltd Company background: Holland Numerics Limited is a small software consultancy based in Royston, Hertfordshire, UK. Founded in 1992 it is primarily focused on SAS development and helping clients get the maximum value from their use of SAS software. Contact: Philip R Holland Title: Consultant Country: United Kingdom Award Category: Curious Thinker Tell us how you are inspired by the work you do? My aim as a freelance contractor has always been to help my clients to the best of my ability, but also to use my independence to highlight problems which my clients need to address, even if they have tried to ignore them in the past, and to make the best use of SAS software. How has SAS played a part in your journey? 43 years working with SAS software has been my working lifetime. 43 years working with SAS software has been an achievement, which I have thoroughly enjoyed. The only part I am missing would be an award!? What products do you use and how do you use them? Over the last 43 years I have used the following SAS products: Base SAS, SAS/GRAPH, SAS/ACCESS, SAS/STAT, SAS Enterprise Guide, SAS Studio, ODS Graphics, SAS Grid, SAS/EIS, SAS/AF, SAS/CONNECT on the following SAS platforms: Windows, IBM mainframe (MVS, OS/390), OS/2, UNIX, VMS, Linux What is your greatest lesson learned that you'd like to share with others? I enjoy helping my clients and encouraging new SAS programmers, but what I still love doing is SAS programming. After over 40 years of programming I can now think in the SAS language, so, if I can sort out a solution to a problem in my head, I am able to write out a rough draft of an entire program!

hollandnumerics · ‎06-24-2023

Daniel's position on SASensei in Africa and globally is testament to his dedication and hard work using SAS

hollandnumerics · ‎03-11-2022

I also submitted the following comment to the webinar Q&A: There is another reason why GTL can be used instead of SG procedures: If similar graphs are going to be generated in multiple programs, the SG procedure code has to be included in every program (or at least in a macro called by each program). If GTL is used to generate a Graph Template, that template can be called by each program, and can be used to enforce graph standards to some extent too. Another ODS Graphics resource: Philip R Holland, "SAS Programming and Data Visualization Techniques", ISBN 978-1-4842-0569-3, (Apress, 2015)

hollandnumerics · ‎10-01-2021

The final PDF and bookmarks look like this:

hollandnumerics · ‎10-01-2021

Finally I have resolved the problem using the techniques suggested in a 2010 PhUSE paper by Stephen Griffiths in http://www.lexjansen.com/phuse/2010/ts/TS04.pdf. This method creates bookmarked PDF files accepted by the FDA! The final program is given here, but the full explanation of the code can be found in VIEWS News 65 (see https://hollandnumerics.org.uk/wordpress/2021/09/views-news-65-2021q3-has-been-published/). * Final Location for Listings and PDF file *; %LET filelist = ./output; %LET filepdf = ./output; %LET offset = 1; LIBNAME listings "&filepdf."; * Name of SAS dataset with Bookmarks *; %LET bookmark_ds = bookmark_listings; * Name of PS file *; %LET bm_ds = osi_bookmarks; DATA _bookmarks_; LENGTH filen $30; group = 'temp '; lpage = 0; ltotpage = 0; opage = 0; ototpage = 0; filen = '__temp.xxx'; OUTPUT; RUN; %MACRO outpage( dsout = /* bookmark list */ ,fname = /* name of input text file */ ,ftype = /* file type */ ,title = /* file title */ ,orient = landscape /* Orientation */ ,prefix = Sex /* Group text */ ); OPTIONS ORIENTATION = &orient. NODATE NONUMBER; TITLE " "; DATA &fname. (KEEP = order group lpage ltotpage); LENGTH line2 $150 group $6 ; * Page number *; RETAIN lpage 1 ltotpage 1; INFILE "&filelist./&fname..&ftype." TRUNCOVER END = eof; INPUT; * variable to retain the ordering *; order = _N_; FILE PRINT; * at each page break insert a new page *; SELECT; WHEN (SUBSTR(_INFILE_, 1, 1) EQ '0C'X) DO; line2 = SUBSTR(_INFILE_, 2); PUT _PAGE_ @&offset. line2; lpage + 1; END; WHEN (_INFILE_ EQ '') PUT @&offset. _INFILE_; OTHERWISE PUT @&offset. _INFILE_; END; * Total pages *; IF _N_ = 1 THEN DO; ltotpage = INPUT(SCAN(_INFILE_, -1), BEST8.); CALL SYMPUT('lpages', PUT(ltotpage, ??BEST.)); END; IF INDEX(UPCASE(STRIP(_INFILE_)), UPCASE("&prefix.")) EQ 1 THEN DO; group = STRIP(SCAN(STRIP(_INFILE_), 2, ':')); OUTPUT; END; RUN; PROC SORT DATA = &fname. OUT = &fname.; BY group order; RUN; DATA &fname. (DROP = order); SET &fname.; BY group order; IF FIRST.group; LENGTH filen $30 ltitle $200; filen = "&fname."; ltitle = "&title."; RUN; PROC SORT DATA = &dsout. OUT = _maxp; BY DESCENDING ototpage; RUN; %LET totp=; DATA _NULL_; SET _maxp; IF _N_ = 1 THEN CALL SYMPUT('totp', ototpage); RUN; DATA &fname.; SET &fname.; opage = lpage + &totp.; ototpage = ltotpage + &totp.; RUN; DATA &dsout. (WHERE = (group NOT IN ('temp' ' '))); SET &dsout. &fname.; * Update total overall pages *; ototpage = &lpages. + &totp.; RUN; %MEND outpage; %MACRO create_bmfile( dsin = /* bookmarks data set */ ,psout = /* PS file to hold bookmarks */ ); PROC SORT DATA = &dsin. OUT = &dsin._listings (KEEP = ltitle opage ototpage filen) NODUPKEY; BY ltitle; RUN; PROC SORT DATA = &dsin. OUT = &dsin._groups (KEEP = group) NODUPKEY; BY group; RUN; PROC SQL; CREATE TABLE &dsin._template AS SELECT * FROM &dsin._groups ,&dsin._listings ORDER BY ltitle ,group ; QUIT; DATA &dsin._template (DROP = opage ototpage); SET &dsin._template; order = opage; nodatapage = ototpage + 1; RUN; PROC SORT DATA = &dsin. out=&dsin.1; BY ltitle group; RUN; DATA &dsin.2; MERGE &dsin._template (IN = a) &dsin.1 (IN = b) ; BY ltitle group; * groups not in files *; IF a AND NOT b THEN DO; opage = nodatapage; END; RUN; PROC SORT DATA = &dsin.2 OUT = &dsin.3; BY group order opage; RUN; PROC FREQ DATA = &dsin.3 NOPRINT; TABLE group / OUT = &dsin._group_sub (DROP = percent RENAME = (count = sub_bm)); RUN; DATA &dsin.4; MERGE &dsin.3 &dsin._group_sub ; BY group; RUN; DATA &dsin.4 (KEEP = group ltitle order opage sub_bm filen) listings.&bookmark_ds (KEEP = group ltitle filen opage sub_bm filen) ; SET &dsin.4; * Make the number negative so that the bookmark is closed *; sub_bm = sub_bm * -1; RUN; DATA _NULL_; FILE "&psout." LS = 1000; SET &dsin.4; BY group order; IF FIRST.group THEN DO; PUT "[/Count " sub_bm "/Title (" group " ) /Page " opage " /OUT pdfmark"; END; IF FIRST.order THEN DO; PUT "[/Title (" ltitle " ) /Page " opage " /OUT pdfmark"; END; RUN; %MEND create_bmfile; PROC TEMPLATE; DEFINE STYLE groupfile; parent = styles.Printer; STYLE fonts FROM fonts / "BatchFixedFont" = ("Courier New, Courier", 9.5PT) "docFont" = ("Courier New, Courier", 9.5PT) "FixedFont" = ("Courier New, Courier", 9.5PT) ; END; RUN; ODS PDF FILE = "&filepdf./osi_listings.pdf" STYLE = groupfile; ODS PDF NOBOOKMARKGEN; %outpage( dset = &bm_ds. ,fname = test_listings1 ,ftype = txt ,title = %nrstr(Listing 99.1) ,prefix = Sex ); %outpage( dset = &bm_ds. ,fname = test_listings2 ,ftype = txt ,title = %nrstr(Listing 99.2) ,prefix = Sex ); %outpage( dset = &bm_ds. ,fname = test_listings3 ,ftype = txt ,title = %nrstr(Listing 99.3) ,prefix = Sex ); DATA _NULL_; FILE PRINT; PUT _PAGE_ @&offset. 'There is no data available.'; RUN; ODS PDF CLOSE; DATA &bm_ds.; SET _bookmarks_; RUN; ODS _ALL_ CLOSE; %create_bmfile( dsin = &bm_ds. ,psout = &filepdf./&bm_ds..ps); FILENAME cmd PIPE 'gswin64c -dBATCH -dNOPAUSE -sDEVICE=pdfwrite -sOutputFile=osi_listings_bm.pdf osi_listings.pdf osi_bookmarks.ps'; DATA _NULL_; INFILE cmd; INPUT; PUT _INFILE_; RUN; Note that some of the filenames may require folder locations to be added when you run this code on your own SAS platform.

hollandnumerics · ‎05-28-2021

Hi Tom, The following steps are being done in version 3 of my program and macro for each input text file: Scan the listing file records to: find '0C'x, which marks the 1st record of a new page (IMPORT TO in PROC DOCUMENT ignores new page control characters!) or the last record, and save the records of the beginning and end of page in WORK.PAGES. extract the 3rd (line-3) and 4th (line-4) records of the file, which contain the identification number and title of the listing. extract the records that begin with a specific string, in this case "sex:", into LINE6 and save in WORK.PAGES, along with the page number, too. save each record of the input file in WORK.LISTINGS. Create a new DOCUMENT in WORK.IMPORT with a new folder labelled as "line-3: line-4". Copy the records for each page specified in WORK.PAGES from WORK.LISTINGS into individual temporary text files. Import each individual text files into a new folder in WORK.IMPORT using a separate PROC DOCUMENT step with IMPORT TO. If the page is the first with each LINE6 value, then, before starting PROC DOCUMENT, set ODS PDF BOOKMARKGEN, otherwise set ODS PDF NOBOOKMARKGEN. REPLAY each individual page in PROC DOCUMENT. Repeat of these steps for each input text file. The resulting PDF file looks like this, where text_listings1.txt has 2 pages of "sex: M", but only 1 page is seen in the bookmarks. This means that I now have the correct number of bookmarks, but the top level containing the listing number and title are duplicated. The 3 listing text files shown below are attached to this post. Using REPLAY to display the whole folder at the same time arranges the bookmarks as pages under the top level of the listing, but does not omit the duplicates. This is because the underlying data in the document has no information about whether a bookmark should be created or not, so a bookmark is created anyway. I suspect that the solution is probably post-processing of the full bookmark list to remove the duplicates using software other than SAS! Does that make any sense at all?..................Phil

hollandnumerics · ‎05-28-2021

Version 2 of my macro copies the textfile into separate document folders and then uses REPLAY with WHERE to select each page. This gives me 2-level bookmarks, as I can now show the BY value from each page too, but I'm still seeing duplicate bookmarks with 1 bookmark for every page. In version 3 I'm going to try splitting up the input file into pages before using IMPORT in PROC DOCUMENT, and then I'm hoping to be able to switch BOOKMARKGEN on or off for each page.

hollandnumerics · ‎05-26-2021

Hi Jim, I think the issue is centred around IMPORT TO, because ODS PROCLABEL and SETLABEL both fail to update the bookmark text. What would be really nice would be being able to update/remove the bookmarks individually for each page, but I think that may not be possible in this release! 🙄 I'll look forward to your thoughts............Phil

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