An Introduction to UNIX SAS Version 8.1 at WPI

About This Document

This document has several purposes:

• To get novice users of SAS statistical software in the Unix environment up and running as quickly as possible.
• To impart basic proficiency in the use of SAS statistical software.
• To serve as an introduction to the computing environment at WPI in general, and particularly to the Statistics Multimedia Computer Classroom in KH 207 (known in the rest of this document by its alias, "the stat lab").
• To introduce Unix computing at WPI.

Novice users should begin at with the Unix SAS Quickstart found at http://www.math.wpi.edu/Course_Materials/SAS/sas01_qs.html. By following the steps in this document, new users will configure their Unix accounts for running SAS and accessing SAS data sets and macros used in statistics course work at WPI.

WPI is currently running release 8.1 of SAS on the OSF v4.0 platform. Information on the Unix system at WPI can be found at http://www.wpi.edu/Academics/CCC/Help/Unix and http://www.math.wpi.edu/Doc/help/index.html.

After completing the Unix SAS Quickstart, new users should complete the tutorials An Introduction to SAS/EIS, found at http://www.math.wpi.edu/Course_Materials/SAS/sas01_eis.html, and An Introduction to SAS/INSIGHT I: Elementary Concepts, found at http://www.math.wpi.edu/Course_Materials/SAS/sas01_inI.html.

These tutorials are designed to introduce the novice SAS user to two components of SAS statistical software: SAS/INSIGHT, a graphical environment for interactive data analysis, and SAS/EIS, a component of SAS that is used as an interface between the user and a set of SAS programs, called macros. Both programs are heavily used in statistics courses at WPI.

Users who want to do more with SAS/INSIGHT are invited to the continuation of the tutorial, An Introduction to SAS/INSIGHT II: Advanced Concepts, found at http://www.math.wpi.edu/Course_Materials/SAS/sas01_inII.html.

At WPI, labs for statistics courses are conducted in the Statistics Multimedia Computer Classroom in Kaven Hall 207. Information about that facility is found at http://www.math.wpi.edu/Course_Materials/SAS/sas01_statlab.html and

Where Next?

Unix SAS Quickstart.

Introduction to SAS/EIS, which you'll use to run SAS macros (programs) for labs and specialized applications.

Introduction to SAS/INSIGHT I: Elementary Concepts. This is the minimal tutorial you should do to be familiar with the basics of SAS/INSIGHT, a graphically-oriented data analysis system

Introduction to SAS/INSIGHT II: Advanced Concepts. This tutorial will show you some of the more advanced features of SAS/INSIGHT

Getting Started in the Statistics Multimedia Computer Classroom. (for new users)

Last modified: Fri Jul 27 14:01:36 EDT 2001