Tip: Information Map Libname Engine

What if you want to know the list of available Information Maps?

What if you want to view list of Data items of particular Information Map? 

Have you ever thought of viewing Information Map data through Base SAS?

This can be achieved by using the  “SAS Information Maps Libname Engine”

The Information Maps engine works like other SAS data access engines. That is, you execute a LIBNAME statement to assign a libref and specify an engine. You then use that libref throughout the SAS session where a libref is valid.

However, instead of the libref being associated with the physical location of a SAS library, the libref is associated with a set of information maps. The information maps contain metadata that the engine uses to provide data access to users.

LIBNAME statement for the Information Maps engine: In a base SAS session:

libname mymaps infomaps metauser=rahul
metapass=******
metaserver="oursasserver.scorpiosoftware.com.au"
metaport=8561
mappath="/SCORPIO/BI/DEVELOPMENT/";

In the SAS Log:

To view list of all Information Maps available. 

Please note that this engine does not support OLAP–based Information Map.

In a base SAS session:

/*List all the available Information Map in Path "/SCORPIO/BI/DEVELOPMENT/" except OLAP-based Information Map*/
proc datasets lib=mymaps;
run;
quit;

In the output window:

The output of proc datasets using the SAS Information Maps Libname

To View list of Data items including Filters (if any) in the Information Map

Note: Prompt Filters won’t be listed. In a base SAS session: 

In the output window:

Output from proc contents using the SAS Information Maps Libname

To view Information Map Data In a base SAS session:

/* View Information Map Data with filter applied, also you can choose to drop any variables*/
proc print data=mymaps.test2(drop=height  filter="Name Filter"n);
run;

In the output window:

The output of proc print using the SAS Information Maps Libname

These are only simple applications of the SAS Information Map Libname.  In future posts, we will examine more complex applications...

This article was originally posted 1Jul2012 at http://www.scorpiosoftware.com.au/2012/07/sas_information_maps_explored/