Simulator for SAS or some other way to start with.

[Bhaskar Virgo]

Hi,

I'm trying to learn SAS. I'm reading through some books and manuals. However, in the process, I thought if I can write some initial programs and practice them - it'll help me better.

With that I'm thinking if there can be some simulator available to practice some "Hello World" programs for SAS. Any direction in this regard is appreciated.

Thanks,

[Robert Sample]

The World Programming System (WPS) can execute SAS code. There is a free trial, but I have never looked into how long the trial lasts nor how expensive the software is once the free trial is over. Google "world programming system" to find out more.

[Bhaskar Virgo]

Thanks Robert.

If we have hercules up and running, can we use that to learn SAS?

[Robert Sample]

Hercules provides a hardware simulator. On top of that is needed the operating system (such as MVS 3.8, which is available without charge) and applications (such as CICS or SAS). You would have to contact 'SAS Institute to determine whether or not SAS licenses their code for a Hercules machine, and if so what the charge would be. I know a few years ago their PC product cost about $4,000 US each year (for Base SAS), so I would guess the cost for running on Hercules won't be less than that (but as I said, contact SAS to find out -- they might have special pricing in place for Hercules).

[enrico-sorichetti]

If we have hercules up and running, can we use that to learn SAS?

hercules is an hardware emulation platform and it will need an operating system

SAS for mainframes will certainly need a recent IBM operating sy
and none of them will be ever ( AFAWK ) licensed to run on hercules
( in a foreseeable future at least )

You might have a better luck investigating if SAS is available for a zLINUX platform

quite a few flavours of zLINUX run well on hercules

[vasanthz]

However, in the process, I thought if I can write some initial programs and practice them - it'll help me better.
With that I'm thinking if there can be some simulator available to practice some "Hello World" programs for SAS. Any direction in this regard is appreciated.

There is a full fledged SAS University Edition available for download FREE!. I've been using it and it is very helpful for learning SAS.
The only catch is that it is on PC. However PC SAS and Mainframe SAS has very little differences.

http://www.sas.com/en_us/software/unive ... tware.html

[Anuj Dhawan]

Excellent - Thanks Vasanth - I missed to see that link on SAS website. Appreciate your input.

[vasanthz]

Thank you and welcome!