For once, this post is not about actual SAS programming. Rather, it is about the tools that I use to help me organize and stay productive when I write code. Today, I will show you three tools, that can help you write better code. These are the Total Commander File Manager, Notepad++ and the RexExr Regular Expressions tester.
Total Commander
I have thousands of SAS programs, data sets, indexes, notes and articles on my disk. Therefore, it is essential for me to have a decent file manager. The out-of-the-box solutions in most operating systems do not match the level of the file managers you can find out there. There are several good options. However, I like the Total Commander File Manager. Even though it is not free, it is well worth the few bucks (37EUR). The Total Commander is a simple setup with two windows that display files with extension and size in an easily readable way.
The Total Commander has a ton of features. I do not know half of them. You can set up FTP connections, compare files, compress files. All within the file manager itself. Most features have a keyboard shortcut. I like to use to this Cheatsheet when I can’t remember the most common ones.
Notepad++
When it comes to organizing code and editing text, there is no compare to Notepad++. Notepad++ lets you organize code exactly the way you want it. I usually use it only to edit code and make it pretty. However, there is no stopping you from using Notepad++ as an actual SAS editor. You can even submit code directly from Notepad++. You can read more about the integration between SAS and Notepad++ in the blog post Using Notepad++ as your SAS code editor at The SAS Dummy.
If a feature is not directly accessible in Notepad++, you can probably find it in one of the many available plugins. A plugin is a small program that you download and install directly within Notepad++. There are several good plugins out there to make it easier to organize code. You can see a list of recommendations here. The plugin I use the most is the TextFX Plugin. The TextFX plugin solves text manipulation tasks beyond my imagination. I encourage you to check it out.
A Proper Regular Expression Tester
If you write regular expressions once in a while, you should definitely refer to one of the great regular expression testers out there. I like RexExr.com. At RexExr, I can write a regular expression in one field and plain text in another. The site highlights the matched parts of the text. The site is simple to navigate. Furthermore, it has a cheat sheet and tons of community patterns, ready for you to copy and paste into your own PRX Functions in SAS. I never write regular expressions without thoroughly testing it on RexExr first.
Summary
In this post, I have listed three tools that I use regularly to stay productive and organized when I write SAS code. These are Notepad++, the Total Commander file manager and RexExr. Each has a different purpose that it solves well.
Did I miss anything? If you have a non SAS tool that makes your programming habits easier, feel free to reach out here.