In article <s3f03e01.071@smtplink.sdps.org>, Bill Rising <KYPRO.brising@SDPS.ORG> wrote: >Not to be cynical, but this sounds like early '80s debugging problem. Aren't >there context-sensitive highlighting editors which can handle SAS code, so >that the syntax error is clear for all to see? Aren't there hooks built into >SAS to use an external editor if the editor which comes with SAS doesn't have >this feature? If not, then I would think that this is a serious hinderance to >programming speed. > >Bill Rising >

Exactly. The sas-mode for the emacs editor does the highlighting one wants, at least on my unix x-windows color monitor. And assists with indenting SAS code for readability etc.

Source for sas-mode below.

Don Cram

Forwarded message: >From cook@Biostat.Wisc.Edu Mon Mar 3 13:08:45 1997 X-UIDL: b7fa36122154980af6bf6ed7a4840d73 Date: Mon, 3 Mar 1997 15:09:43 -0600 Message-Id: <199703032109.PAA01919@polaris.biostat.wisc.edu> From: Tom Cook <cook@Biostat.Wisc.Edu> X-To: rossini@stat.sc.edu, horton@hsph.harvard.edu, burchil@cpe.umanitoba.ca, keiths@aragorn.ori.org, doncram@gsb-crown.Stanford.EDU, braynor@jupiter.kcc.com Subject: sas-mode

I have (Finally!) placed a new version of sas-mode in my ftp directory. (i.e. ftp://ftp.biostat.wisc.edu/pub/cook/sas-mode/sas.tar.gz). Sorry it has taken so long. It uses font-lock-mode, has an electric-semi (stolen >from Riggle's code) and some of the keybindings have changed.

It works well for code that I've used but I'm sure there are situations that I haven't anticipated for which it will fail. Please try it and give me a report. There are things (like do/end flashing) which I haven't gotten to. If you wish to contribute code, please do so. I haven't had a lot of time lately (obviously) for working on it, so all help will be appreciated. Thanks for your patience.

-- Tom.

>>>> Philip Mason <Phil@WOOD-ST.DEMON.CO.UK> August 12, 1997 5:15 >>> >Often when coding long SAS programs you may get the following message: > >WARNING: The current word or quoted string has become more than 200 > characters long. You may have unbalanced quotation marks. > >To find the line with the missing quote you can do the following: > >===> Steps > ><1> edit your program, whether SCL or Base SAS > ><2> enter the following on the command line > f "'" all > ><3> If the message states that there are an odd number of single quotes, >then you know you are missing a single quote. Otherwise you are missing a >double quote. > ><4> Highlight half of the code and enter the appropriate FIND command on >the command line. For single quote use > f "'" all >For double quote use > f '"' all > ><5> If you get an odd number returned then you know the missing quote is in >your highlighted code. Otherwise it is in the un-highlighted code. > ><6> Now repeat steps 4 & 5 until you have narrowed down the section of code >to a few lines that can easily be analysed by eye to reveal where the >missing quote should be put. > >* See my other tip on closing unmatched quotes. > > >Philip Mason >Freelance SAS Consultant >16 Wood Street, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 0AY, England >Phone: +44 1491 834615 Fax: +44 1491 834615 >Mailto:phil@wood-st.demon.co.uk > >http://www.sas.com/service/doc/pubcat/uspubcat/ind_files/55513.html

-- doncram at gsb dot stanford dot edu all lowercase http colon slash slash www hyphen leland dot stanford dot edu slash tilde doncram