Sunday, November 6, 2011

8:00AM – 12:00PM – Caprock/Llano

PROC SQL Programming: The Basics and Beyond

This course teaches SAS users core concepts and features about accessing data stored in relational database tables. Attendees learn how to use PROC SQL to access data stored in relational tables; accomplish tasks including retrieving, subsetting, ordering, and grouping data; construct tables and “virtual” tables known as views; define, access and manipulate data; produce “quality” looking output with PROC SQL options and Output Delivery System (ODS); use summary (statistical) functions to aggregate data; understand the difference between DATA step merges and joins; create complex queries using inner and outer joins; construct logic scenarios with case expressions; interface PROC SQL with the macro facility; understand index rules and strategies; and apply query performance techniques.

Intended Audience: All SAS users
Instructor: Kirk Paul Lafler
Prerequisites: SAS Essentials course or 6-months SAS software experience
Delivery Method: Instructor-led with code examples and self-study
Length: ½-Day
Course Material: Course Notes are included

8:00AM – 5:00PM – Grape Creek

Advanced Reporting and Analysis Techniques for the SAS® Power User: It's Not Just About The PROCs! 

 There are literally hundreds of techniques used on a daily basis by the users of SAS® software as they perform analyses and generate reports. Although often obscure, most of these techniques are relatively easy to learn and generally do not require specialized training before they can be implemented. Unfortunately a majority of these techniques are used by only a very small minority of the analysts and programmers. They are not used more frequently, because a majority of SAS users have simply not been exposed to them. Left to ourselves it is often very difficult to ‘discover’ the intricacies of these techniques and then to sift through them for the nuggets that have immediate value.

This one day course presents a series of those nuggets. It covers a broad range of SAS topics that have proven to be useful to the intermediate and advanced SAS programmer who is involved with the analysis and reporting of data. The intended audience is expected to have a firm grounding in Base SAS. For most of the covered topics, the course will introduce useful techniques and options, but will not ‘teach the procedure’. No matter how experienced we are, no matter how well we know a procedure or a technique, there is still more that we do not yet know.

Intended Audience: Strong intermediate to Advanced SAS Users
Instructor: Art Carpenter
Prerequisites: Strong intermediate to Advanced SAS experience necessary
Delivery Method: Instructor-led with code examples and self-study
Length: 1 Full Day
Course Material: Course Notes are included

1:00PM – 5:00PM – Caprock/Llano

Exploring SAS® Hash Programming Techniques

SAS® users are always interested in learning techniques that will help them improve the performance of table lookup, search, and sort operations. Beginning in Version 9, SAS software supports a DATA step programming technique known as hash to allow a data structure to associate a key with one or more values. This seminar explores what a hash object is, how it works, and the syntax required. Topics include how the hash object can be used to perform in-memory data sorts, search memory-resident data using a simple key to find a single value, using the hash object to reduce the number of steps in a program, allocating memory on demand using a hash object, use a composite key to search for multiple values, and techniques on handling collisions.

Intended Audience: All SAS users
Instructor: Kirk Paul Lafler
Prerequisites: Minimum 1-year Base-SAS programming experience
Delivery Method: Instructor-led with code examples and self-study
Length: ½-Day
Course Material: Course Notes are included

1:00PM – 5:00PM – Pheasant Ridge

Exploring the World of Data Discovery 

If you are looking for the most up-to-date, latest breaking information on JMP® Basics for Data Discovery, JMP 2 Consulting, Inc. will prepare you for tomorrow, today. We invite you to attend this popular half-day course to expand your knowledge of JMP and the SAS System. This course brings JMP and SAS users just like you face-to-face with knowledgeable specialists and industry experts. You’ll acquire important knowledge in using powerful SAS Institute tools to assist in data analysis.

Intended Audience: All SAS users
Instructor: Charles Shipp
Prerequisites: None
Delivery Method: Instructor-led with code examples and self-study
Length: ½-Day

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

8:00AM – 12:00PM – Pheasant Ridge

Output Delivery System: The Basics and Beyond

This course explores the various techniques associated with output formatting and delivery using the Output Delivery System (ODS). Numerous examples will be presented to command mastery of ODS capabilities while providing a better understanding of ODS statements and options to deliver output anyway that is needed. Topics include SAS-supplied Formatting statements and options; Formatting Output as RTF, PDF, MS-Excel®, and HTML; Selecting output objects with Selection or Exclusion Lists; using the Escape character to enhance output formats; exploring ODS statements and options; constructing drill-down applications with the DATA step, ODS, and SAS/GRAPH software; creating thumbnail charts; techniques on creating user-defined ODS styles; and an introduction to the customization of output with the TEMPLATE Procedure.

Intended Audience: All SAS users
Instructor: Kirk Paul Lafler
Prerequisites: SAS Essentials course or 6-months SAS software experience
Delivery Method: Instructor-led with code examples
Length: ½-Day
Course Material: Course Notes are included

8:00AM – 12:00PM – Caprock/Llano

Innovative Tips and Techniques: Doing More in the DATA Step

****This workshop will be available for registration on 10/12/2011

In order for you to write innovative DATA step solutions to complex coding problems, it is necessary for you to have more than a basic understanding of the individual statements. You need to understand how the various statements interact with each other and how their options can be leveraged to provide the kind of DATA step code that will provide innovative solutions to the toughest of problems. Based on Art’s latest book, which is due to be published this spring, this class is a must for the DATA step programmer that wants to take his or her programs to the ‘next’ level.

Topics include:

• Data set options with impact
• New functions and old functions with new options
• Evaluating expressions Working with Data Component Objects – Hash Tables
• Transposing the data using arrays
• Using the DOW loop
• Using double SET statements effectively
• Look-ahead and Look-back techniques
• Table lookups in the DATA step
• and much more

This course is designed to be taken by a student who has a basic understanding of the DATA step, its primary statements, and its basic operation. The seminar will provide a short refresher of these basics, but will concentrate on topics that will allow the user to take full advantage of the power of the DATA step.

Intended Audience Level: Beyond Beginner
Instructor: Art Carpenter
Delivery Method: Seminar style
Class Material: Copy of the PPT slides

1:00PM – 5:00PM – Pheasant Ridge

Advanced SAS® Programming Techniques

SAS users who have acquired basic skills presented in a SAS Software Basics course and want to expand their knowledge in the DATA step as a programming language will want to attend this Advanced SAS Programming Techniques course. Attendees learn complex programming topics and techniques in the areas of data access, data manipulation, data management, data presentation, and more. Topics include DATA step programming techniques including reading and writing from and to MS-Excel spreadsheets; creating and using user-defined formats; coding and using arrays, loops, and ranges; performing lookup operations with DATA step hash objects; using operators and modifiers to search data; reshaping columns and rows of data with the TRANSPOSE procedure and DATA step approaches; techniques on controlling and improving I/O, CPU and memory operations; specialized ODS techniques for improved output, and testing and debugging techniques.

Intended Audience: All SAS users
Instructor: Kirk Paul Lafler
Prerequisites: Minimum 1-year Base-SAS programming experience
Delivery Method: Instructor-led with code examples
Length: ½-Day
Course Material: Course Notes are included

1:00PM – 5:00PM – Caprock/Llano

Getting Started with SAS Macro Language Basics

This half-day seminar is designed for the SAS programmer who is new to the Macro Language. We will start at the basics and cover the fundamentals necessary to start applying SAS macros in your programs. By the end of the day you will understand how the Macro Language works, what the Macro Symbol Table is and how to values stored in it, how the SAS System uses Macro Variables, key Macro Language concepts, important SAS Macro Language statements, and how to invoke Macros in your programs. The examples shown in the course materials demonstrate the power and flexibility of this part of the SAS System and will enable you to apply its functionalities to your own programs right away.

Intended Audience: All SAS users
Instructor: Art Carpenter
Prerequisites: Some SAS experience useful, but not necessary
Delivery Method: Instructor-led with code examples and self-study
Length: ½-Day