Date:         Mon, 9 Jun 2008 14:15:17 -0400
Reply-To:     Bucher Scott <SBucher@SCHOOLS.NYC.GOV>
Sender:       "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         Bucher Scott <SBucher@SCHOOLS.NYC.GOV>
Subject:      Re: Question on proc sql
Comments: To: "Simon, Lorna" <Lorna.Simon@UMASSMED.EDU>
In-Reply-To:  A<E2B5EBDD92CF104E9AC69D6B563466C901F2181B@EDUNIVMAIL11.ad.umassmed.edu>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

I find Proc SQL useful for generating Cartesian products, recursive
joins, creating macro variables, and merging when keys are not identical
or the merge involves anything but equijoins. Many people prefer SQL
over SAS for all types of joining of datasets. To some extent this is a
matter of taste, and differences in efficiency will usualy depend on the
specifics of the situtation. There are many nice SUGI papers that
compare Proc SQL v. the data step or other procedures.

Scott Bucher
SAS Programmer
Office of Accountability
NYC Dept. of Education

-----Original Message-----
From: SAS(r) Discussion [mailto:SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf Of
Simon, Lorna
Sent: Monday, June 09, 2008 10:36 AM
To: SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: Question on proc sql

I have a question about sql - what is the advantage of learning it? Are
there things you can do in sql that you can't do in a regular sas data
step?