Newbie EG 4.1/Setting Import Data Defaults 2

[Christineeve]

Hello experts:
I am so new to this tool that I'm still learning the terminology. It's making it hard to search for the right answers. I am working to quickly learn this information.

I'm working with space delimited text files. This data is created from a product that my department does not control.

My job is to pick up these text files from the server and import them into EG 4.1. From there, by some miracle, I'm going to create reports. I've done the tutorials to the point of creating reports from Excel. But, I'm running into a problem with the import piece.

In the "Import Data" screen, the "Text Format" defaults to "Tab" delimited. I've modifed this to be Space delimited. For Column Options, I defined the lables and names for all 26 columns. I ran it and see my data just fine.

I can create my List Data and reports from that point. But, I can't save my configuration for the import.

When I attempt to save this configuration my application crashes with a default error of, "something bad has happened and I don't know why," type thing or nothing happens. I run it again, and it's back to default settings without any settings being saved. I have to select Space delimited and again rename these 26 columns.

Does anyone know if you can save what I would call a "Import Specification" on your text files--like in Excel? And, have you seen this crashing out issue?

Your help is appreciated. Thank you.

 

[Christineeve]

I'm guessing that I've not asked my question in an appropriate way. That must be why no one is willing to take a stab at my question.

But, in case someone like me is searching around for help I did find that, the crashing thing, because our application needs to be patched.

I still cannot figure out why my import configuration for text files will not save. Since my document is space delimited, it's a pain to have to recreate this every time.

I am sorry that I'm not asking the questions in a proper way. I know it makes it harder to help a newbie.

 

[klaz2002]

When you state 'EG 4.1' do you mean Enterprise 4.1?

 

[mdieckman]

I assume that yes he means Enterprise Guide. You may be better off just creating an import statement in Base SAS (you can still use the import wizard) and then modify to your needs in EG and save that module.

I'll mess around a bit with EG tomorrow - familiar with it, but I never use it as I always just code in Base SAS.

 

[ChrisW75]

Hiya,
here's a pro-tip. The Import process in EG kinda sucks, you're better off manually coding it. Obviously that's not always easy, especially if you're new to SAS, however there's a compromise which I've used myself a few times.
Do what you did the first time and build the import step using the import wizard and run it.
If it works, it's all good.
Right click on the node, and select "View Last Submitted Code". Copy this code and close it.
Right click on the project flow and select "New > Code". Paste the import code into this window.
You now have apiece of SAS code which is set up the way you want it, and can be re-run as often as you want. You can also easily make changes to the code to make any tweaks you want.

Does that help?

Chris
Business Analyst, Code Monkey, Data Wrangler.
SAS Guru.

 

[Christineeve]

Thank you for responding to my question!!!

Yes, I mean Enterprise Guide. On the SAS forums, they just abbreviate it to EG. I guess I thought that was the naming convention.

I am very new to SAS. But, I'm enrolled in Base SAS and I can take a stab at these awesome suggestions.

I know that people do forget to thank the programmers for their help. Thank you! I did select the stars as well.

 

[ChrisW75]

No worries Christine, you're right, EG is the common way to abbreviate it. It hasn't got a really high penetration yet, especially amongst the old guard SAS programmers as it's a little restrictive in some respects, so I guess that's why some need a little clarification. SAS/EG I was originally told by SAS is actually targetted at Power Users, whereas most SAS Programmers/Developers tend to use the old SAS Editor program to interface with SAS instead.
Apparently that's being phased out though and they've stopped any further development of the older editor, which is a shame because there are still some things that it can do that EG can't.
Enjoy the Base SAS course, it'll make things so much clearer hopefully as they'll give youa full background on SAS methodology.

Chris
Business Analyst, Code Monkey, Data Wrangler.
SAS Guru.