Have you found that most SAS ® data step code is quite readable? SAS statements, functions, keywords and SI supplied routines are most often given meaningful names. If the developer has been even somewhat verbose while naming data step variables, the final product can "read" quite easily.
Sure it reads easy …, until you encounter the {*&%~(.:@|? special characters littered throughout the code!! What in the world do those things mean? Do we really need the funny characters?
This paper will examine 10 implementations of special characters, each of them specially placed in the SAS language for your coding pleasure. Special characters, properly utilized, allow you to write code more quickly, more efficiently, and, believe or not, more simply.
conference:
