Date:         Fri, 16 Jul 2004 15:00:59 -0400
Reply-To:     Sigurd Hermansen <HERMANS1@WESTAT.COM>
Sender:       "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         Sigurd Hermansen <HERMANS1@WESTAT.COM>
Subject:      Re: Running SAS programs against sas7bdat vs. transport files
Comments: To: Bill <rewrq0987@YAHOO.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain

Bill:
SAS does not support any process that requires direct access to a transport
file (for example, PROC FREQ). Most users of transport files simply convert
them to SAS WORK datasets. I'd bet that the FDA does just that. Mechanical
remapping of data from transport format to SAS dataset format does not make
data any less equivalent. Whether read from a transport file or a SAS
dataset, programs control displays of data, but equivalently formatted data
should yield the same statistical estimates and selections.
Sig

-----Original Message-----
From: SAS(r) Discussion [mailto:SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf Of Bill
Sent: Friday, July 16, 2004 2:09 PM
To: SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: Re: Running SAS programs against sas7bdat vs. transport files


I was thinking if I only call in a couple datasets, I could easily do a
libname for each dataset, (e.g., libname indata xport 'filename.xpt';).
This would allow the procs to work appropriately.

For US submissions to the FDA, we send in transport files.  One goal is to
run the reports off of the same data you send to the FDA, so why not try and
do this against the transport files that are sent to them?
  This is the question driving my madness!


jim.groeneveld@VITATRON.COM (Groeneveld, Jim) wrote in message
news:<81BFA8F7807F1349AD6C16AD00A1AB9B017325A3@AMSM1BMSGM01.ent.core.medtron
ic.com>...
> Hi Bill,
>
> I really believe that before doing e.g. statistical PROCs you have to
> convert your transport files into SAS datasets, as only those are the
> types of files to be read.
>
> Regards - Jim.
> --
> .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .
>
> Jim Groeneveld, MSc.
> Biostatistician
> Science Team
> Vitatron B.V.
> Meander 1051
> 6825 MJ  Arnhem
> Tel: +31/0 26 376 7365
> Fax: +31/0 26 376 7305
> Jim.Groeneveld@Vitatron.com
> www.vitatron.com
>
> My statistics are quite predictable, but my computer may be quite
> unpredictable.
>
> [common disclaimer]
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Bill [mailto:rewrq0987@YAHOO.COM]
> Sent: Thursday, July 15, 2004 20:22
> To: SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> Subject: Running SAS programs against sas7bdat vs. transport files
>
>
> I'm curious if there are advantages/disadvantages to running SAS
> reporting programs directly against transport files (xport engine) vs.
> directly from the native sas7bdat data.
>
> I believe that any format attachments I have would be lost if using
> XPT files, and that XPT files cannot be indexed.  Are there any other
> drawbacks?
>
> Thanks