What’s New in the SAS 9.3 SQL Procedure

Overview

PROC SQL reference information from the Base SAS Procedures Guide and SAS SQL system options from the SAS Language Reference: Dictionary have been moved to this book, SAS SQL Procedure User’s Guide. This enables our customers to access PROC SQL information in one location. The following are new features and enhancements:
  • ability to optimize the PUT function
  • ability to reuse the LIBNAME statement database connection
  • additional PROC SQL statement options
  • additional macro variable specifications for the INTO clause
  • additional dictionary table
  • additional system macro variable
  • updated output examples
In the second maintenance release for SAS 9.3, the following enhancements have been made:
  • modified the default value for the SQLGENERATION= option
  • added security for password-protected SAS views

Ability to Optimize the PUT Function

The following reduce PUT options and system options have been modified to optimize the PUT function:
  • REDUCEPUTOBS=
  • REDUCEPUTVALUES=
  • SQLREDUCEPUTOBS=
  • SQLREDUCEPUTVALUES=

Ability to Reuse the LIBNAME Statement Database Connection

The database connection that is established with the LIBNAME statement can be reused in the CONNECT statement. The keyword USING has been added to implement this feature.

Additional PROC SQL Statement Options

The following PROC SQL statement options have been added to help control execution and output of results:
  • STOPONTRUNC
  • WARNRECURS | NOWARNRECURS

Additional Macro Variable Specifications for the INTO Clause

The following macro variable specifications have been added to the syntax for the INTO clause of the SELECT statement:
  • TRIMMED option
  • unbounded macro-variable range

Additional Dictionary Table

The VIEW_SOURCES dictionary table view has been added.

Additional System Macro Variable

The SYS_SQLSETLIMIT macro variable has been added for use with PROC SQL to improve database processing.

Updated Output Examples

Where applicable, all of the LISTING output examples have been updated to show the new ODS HTML output. The new SAS 9.3 output defaults apply only to the SAS windowing environment under Microsoft Windows and UNIX. For more information, see Chapter 1, “New Output Defaults in SAS 9.3,” in SAS Output Delivery System: User's Guide.

Modified the Default Value for the SQLGENERATION= Option

The default value for the SQLGENERATION= LIBNAME option and system option was modified to include Aster nCluster and Greenplum. For more information, see SQLGENERATION= System Option.

Added Security for Password-Protected SAS Views

In the second maintenance release for SAS 9.3, security has been enhanced for password-protected SAS views. Before the second maintenance release for SAS 9.3, Read- or Write-protected SAS views could be defined using the DESCRIBE VIEW statement without having to specify a password. Now, to define any password-protected SAS view, regardless of the level of protection, you must specify a password. If the SAS view was created with more than one password, you must specify its most restrictive password if you want to access a definition of the view. For more information, see DESCRIBE Statement.
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