Using Q&R Query › Compose a New Query › Query Steps and Tasks › Query Steps

Query Steps

The query steps and their associated tasks that you can use to compose a query include the following:

File Selection

Specifies the input file to retrieve and creates a work file. Input files can be retrieved from CA MICS complexes (1-99 cycles), external SAS files, or work files created from prior query steps.

Required task: Files

Optional tasks: Data Filters, Data Derivation, User Code

Merge

Creates a work file by combining data from two or more files based on common keys. Provides a “SUM” checkbox to pre-summarize the input files based on the desired common keys specified in Key Selection.

Required tasks: Files, Key selection

Optional tasks: Data Filters, Data Derivation, User Code

Concatenation

Creates a work file by appending two or more files to another. Provides a “SUM” checkbox to pre-summarize the input files based on the desired common keys specified in Key Selection. The input files can either be appended or interleaved.

Required tasks: Files, Key selection

Optional tasks: Data Filters, Data Derivation, User Code

Summarization

Summarizes data in a work file by the keys you specify in Key Selection. This step summarizes a CA MICS file using the CA MICS summarization macros or a SAS file using PROC MEANS or PROC SUMMARY. Using this step can help you to limit the number of output records.

Required tasks: Files, Key selection

Optional tasks: Data Filters, Data Derivation, User Code

SAS Code

Lets you add your own free-form SAS code. For example, you can use a SAS code step to do a simple PROC PRINT of the elements in the query file. The SAS code is automatically saved with the query; however, you can optionally save the SAS code to user code file (.QRU) and import it into another query.

Required task: User Code

Optional tasks: None

Sort

Resequences a file, in the order specified, from either CA MICS or a SAS database.

Required tasks: Files, Key selection

Optional tasks: None

Data Extract

Produces a CSV output file for the query. Converts the work file to CSV format. Specify the input file from either a CA MICS or a SAS database to generate a CSV file.

You must have a Data Extract step to view your data in Q&R Charting.

Required tasks: Files, Key selection, Element selection

Optional tasks: None

Notes:

• On the Files tab, the separator field lets you specify the delimiter for your CSV files. Use a comma if your numeric values are displayed in US format (with a period for a decimal point). Use a semicolon if your numeric values are displayed in European format (with a comma as a decimal symbol).
• On the Key Selection tab, the order of the keys impacts the Q&R Charting presentation. Q&R Charting allows the last two keys to be selected for either the X-axis or as the stack variable in 2D Stacked by Key charts.

Statistics

Identifies the type of statistics to perform on selected elements and applies statistical calculations to the data using Proc Means. For example, Minimum and Maximum, and Mean. The output file has only the Keys and the Statistical elements.

Required tasks: Files, Key selection, Statistical Selection

Optional tasks: None