A Visual Introduction to PC SAS

Start SAS by double-clicking on the SAS icon . . .

. . . or by using the Start menu.

Welcome to SAS!

The 3 Main Windows

• There are 3 main windows in PC SAS:– The Editor Window: where programs are

written.– The Log Window: where the SAS log is

displayed.– The Output Window: where the SAS Output is

displayed.

This is the Editor Window:

The Editor Window

• The Editor Window is where you will compose SAS programs.

• It is like a simple word processor.

• Terms that SAS recognizes may appear in different colors to help you identify errors as you type.

You can switch to the Log window by clicking on the Log window button . . .

This is the Log Window.

The Log Window

• Displays the SAS Log File

• The Log File is a record of what SAS does with your program.

• It can help you to determine whether SAS did what you wanted. If SAS didn’t do what you wanted, the Log File can help you to figure out why.

You can switch to the Output window by clicking on the Output window button . . .

This is the Output Window. It shows the results from running a program.

You can open a SAS program by choosing “Open Program . . .” from the File Menu . . .

. . . and choosing a SAS program file.

The program opens in the Editor Window.

Run the program by clicking on the little running figure (the Submit button).

The Output Window displays the results.

You can choose which results to display by using the Results Tab.

You can check the SAS log in the Log Window.

Saving Programs, Logs, and Output

• You can save programs, logs, and output using the “Save” or “Save as” commands under the File menu.

• Files are saved as text files with extensions “.sas” for program files, “.log” for log files, and “.lst” for output files.

Copying & Pasting

• You can copy programs, log files, and output and paste them into word processor files.

• You can also copy text from a word processor or text editor and paste it into the editor window.

Printing

• You can print programs, logs, and output using the “Print” command under the file menu.

• Make sure you check the margins using the “Page Setup” command under the file menu—default margins may be too narrow for your printer.