SAS XML Mapper

Beginning with SAS 9.1, the SAS XML Mapper (previously known as Atlas) is a SAS stand-alone Java application supplied as part of Base SAS. The SAS XML Mapper is a graphical user interface assistant for building SAS XML Map files. Here is a display that shows the previous example s XML Map file being built from within the XML Mapper application  

To build the XML map, table spaces (data sets) and columns (variables) can be dragged from the pane on the left and dropped in the pane on the right. There are several useful tabs available in the upper-right pane. They are as follows  

Allows for the definition of data sets and variables as well as the all-important observation boundary where the XML engine outputs data set observations. 

Lets you format variables further using SAS labels, formats, informats, and lengths. 

Enumeration tab Establishes valid values for a given variable. 

---

Beginning with SAS 8, there are tools in SAS to help you read and write XML files. Starting with SAS 9.1, SAS provides XML import support via the XML LIBNAME engine (previously called SXLE) and the SAS XML mapper (previously called Atlas). 

The resulting ODM XML file produced by the XML LIBNAME engine is very similar to the one produced by PROC CDISC. However, PROC CDISC allows you to specify and pass more of the metadata information along to the XML file. If you need to create customized XML files for a sponsor that do not match the ODM specification, you can use the SAS XML Mapper and the XML LIBNAME engine to write your own custom XML files. 

---