Date:         Thu, 18 Nov 1999 17:27:28 -0600
Reply-To:     "Lambert, Bob" <Bob_Lambert@AFCC.COM>
Sender:       "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         "Lambert, Bob" <Bob_Lambert@AFCC.COM>
Subject:      Re: Do Over in v7+
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

It appears that some of  that "almost obsessive attention....to backward
compatibility" is due to hindsight.  I was reading through p-222 (if you're
wondering why, don't ask).  On the RESOLVE function, it states "The RESOLVE
function, available in Version 5, has been added to Release 6.07 for
compatibility."  However, later it lists what the RESOLVE function can do
that the SYMGET function can't and follows with an example.  My guess is
that SAS users complained because this function does things that can't be
done otherwise.  So SAS put it back in.

SAS veterans, am I right or am I right?

> -----Original Message-----
> From: John Whittington [SMTP:John.W@MEDISCIENCE.CO.UK]
> Sent: Thursday, November 18, 1999 9:03 AM
> To:   SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> Subject:      Re: Do Over in v7+
>
> At 09:12 18/11/99 -0500, John Iwaniszek wrote:
>
> >I just found out that the DO OVER construct is not supported in version
> >7 (per SAS OnlineDoc, v7-1).  Has anyone used this form in a verson 7+
> >setting?  I use it in a macro that initializes retained variables.
> >Clearly I can live without he form but it would be annoying to lose it
> >for what appears to be no good reason.
>
> If that's true, it is a black mark against the usually almost obsessive
> attention SI pays to 'backward compatability' - to the extent that I
> wonder
> whether it is an unintentional bug.  They have, for a long time,
> discouraged the use of implicitly-dimensioned arrays (which, if I reacall,
> are neded for DO OVER), but there is probably still plenty of code out
> their which uses it.  Is it just DO OVER that has gone, or has the whole
> concept of implicitly-dimensioned arrays gone?  ... and what happens when
> one does try to use DO OIVER? - is it just regarded as a 'syntax error'?
>
> Regards,
>
>
> John
>
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