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Dynamic Data Exchange: “Working Smarter - Not

Harder” (SAS)

Rachel McPherson

rachel.mcpherson@gov.mb.ca

October 2012

Outline

• What is dynamic data exchange

• Uses & How it was applied in current work environment

• Pros & Cons

• Example of DDE

Dynamic Data Exchange

• Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) is a method of dynamically exchanging information between Windows applications.

SAS

Excel

Word

Uses

• Provides a consistent presentation across output destinations

• Can manipulate formats from other applications as a server client.

DDE - Pros

• Timeliness: Run SAS code to update an annual excel template

• Reduces the chance for error

• Reduces the amount of formatting required

• Can be used to place data in MS Word/Excel

DDE - Cons

• Not good for frequency listings that may change. For example: causes of death.

• If a formatting change is made to the excel/word file, your program must be changed.

Year 1 Year 2

Cancer Cancer

Respriatory Disease Respriatory Disease

Injury Cirulatory Disease

Injury

SAS code: Excel

• Step 1: • Open Excel file

• Suspend SAS for 1 seconds to allow Excel to be fully started

options noxwait noxsync;

%SYSEXEC "W:\hltdss\Home\Projects\DSS\H1N1\SAS\H1N1\Reports\MOH Report Wave 2.xls";

data _null_;

x=sleep(1);

run;

SAS code: Excel

Step 2:

Tell SAS the range of cells where the data is going to be stored: Row 22 Column 4 to Row 22 Column 5 (r22:c4:r22c5)

• %macro MOH;

• filename opendiag dde "excel|W:\hltdss\Home\Projects\DSS\H1N1\SAS\H1N1\Reports\[MOH Report Wave 2.xls]Summary!r22c4:r22c5";

• data _null_;

• file opendiag;

• set step45 (drop=week3);

• put (_all_) ($);

•

• run;

• %mend;

• %MOH;

SAS code: Word

• Step 1: • Open the Word file

• Suspend SAS for 1 seconds to allow Word to be fully started

options noxwait noxsync;

%SYSEXEC "W:\hltdss\Home\Projects\DSS\CCHS Report\Draft\CCHS Report mockup - Burntwood.docx";

data _null_;

x=sleep(1);

run;

SAS code: Word

Step 2:

In word you must have a template and then bookmark the sections you would like SAS to change

For example:

Open your word document

Go to the “Insert “ Tab

Highlight the area you want bookmarked

Press Bookmark

Name your Bookmark

Press Add

SAS code: Word

SAS code: Word

filename opendiag dde 'winword|W:\hltdss\Home\Projects\DSS\CCHS Report\Draft\CCHS Report mockup - Burntwood.docx!bookmark1'; /*Makes changes to Bookmark1*/

data step1;

dk='0.9% '; /*This is what I want in Bookmark1*/

run;

data step2; /*Places the data into Bookmark1*/

set step1;

file opendiag;

put (_all_) ($);

run;

SAS code: Word

Step 3:

Formatting your text:

filename opendiag dde 'winword|system';

data _null_;

file opendiag;

put '[EditGoto.Destination=

"bookmark1"]';

put '[FormatFont.Font="Calibri",

.Points="9",.Bold=0]';

run;

References

• http://www2.sas.com/proceedings/sugi31/154-31.pdf

• http://www2.sas.com/proceedings/sugi28/016-28.pdf

• http://www2.sas.com/proceedings/sugi28/145-28.pdf

• http://mwsug.org/proceedings/2010/excel_db/MWSUG-2010-166.pdf

• http://sas.connectsolutions.com/p76172942/

Questions