JMP to SAS Guidance

Question

All, 
    I am trying to learn SAS.I am looking to leverage whatever knowledge I currently have in JMP and use it as a launchpad but I am unable to find any guiding material which helps from a transition perspective. While there are a lot of helpful training classes and articles that help a user get started from scratch, I find this setting me back a couple of paces - as it is like learning a new language altogether.

I would greatly appreciate if anybody in the forum especially JMP employees can provide firm paths of guidance for a JMP user to leverage their learning and navigate the SAS learning.

For e.g: From a data structure standpoint , this is what I understand

Also, every step from a programming step is supported through what are called Data or Proc Steps in SAS unlike free flow programming that we see in JMP. I could not find anything similar to a namespace that exists in JMP. While I know I am only scratching the top and I have a long way to go, it would be extremely useful if a comprehensive guide is provided for JMP users to leverage what they know and use it as they try to learn SAS.

Would request any of the community members or JMP employees who have previously gone through this transition to provide tutorials or websites that they found most helpful.

pmroz · Answer

SAS is a very different environment/language than JMP.  My knowledge of SQL really helped me work with SAS, as I'm a long-time Oracle SQL user.  SAS SQL is a little different from Oracle SQL, but the concepts are the same.  Basically it helps to think of SAS as a set-based language, like SQL.

nascif_jmp · Answer

Don't forget to check DS2, or "Data Step 2", a recent attempt at modernizing the SAS language. You will find that it supports modern concepts like methods, packages and a larger variety of data types.

A good high level description is this article, which contains pointers to other resources.

https://blogs.sas.com/content/sgf/2016/02/19/reasons-love-proc-ds2/

Jeff_Perkinson · Answer

@uday_guntupalli, I'm glad that you're learning SAS programming. Like knowing JMP and JSL scripting, knowledge of SAS programming will serve you well.

My first tip is not to make too many comparisons between JMP/JSL and SAS. They are built in very different ways with different audiences and uses in mind.

A good place to start with learning SAS programming is Step-by-Step Programming with Base SAS.

You're right that a SAS data set and a JMP data table are analgous. They each represent the permanent data storage format for data.

As you've discovered, SAS programming is different from JSL and the main way that it is different is that it is step based. That is, there are DATA Steps and PROC Steps.

The SAS DATA step is used to create and manage SAS data sets. It is a language in and of itself and will represent the majority of your learning to program in SAS.

In general, PROC steps are used to create analyses, for example, PROC FREQ for computing frequencies; PROC REG for regression analysis and PROC GLM for general linear modeling. The Procedures Guide is the place to read about all the Base SAS PROCs.

I hope that helps.

The one comparison between JMP and SAS that I'll encourage is that the SAS Communities are the equivalent to the JMP User Community. Just like here you'll find lots of helpful people in the SAS Communities to guide you as you learn to program in SAS. The Base SAS Programming forum is probably where you'll want to post your first questions.

PS: I've ignored the SAS Macro facility for now. You should definintely learn the Macro language but start by understanding DATA and PROC steps first and then you'll be prepared to explore Macros.