This is a paper for SUGI 30 (2005). The code is updated from the SUGI 29 draft version and should be able to generate code to read hierarchical files where all the record group ID fields are in the same location.

Data Documentation Initiative (DDI) files are XML “codebooks” for social science data. A DDI file can describe itself, the conditions under which the data were collected, the data file format, and the variables in the file. SAS XMLMAP provides the capability for a SAS program to read these metadata from the XML file into a collection of SAS datasets. A SAS program uses this capability to write another SAS program that can read the data documented by the DDI file. This paper also describes how the XML Mapper tool was useful in developing the XMLMAP for this project.

The following files are available

The paper (pdf version )

The PowerPoint slides (ppt)

SAS Program which uses the XMLMAP file to read the DDI file (makeReader.sas) as run for ICPSR study 2825

XML Map for a DDI file (use with SAS as DDI.map)

SAS program written by the above SAS program which will read the data file for study number 2825 Current Population Survey(readDA2825.sas)

SAS program generated to read ICPSR Study 06084

SAS program generated to read ICPSR Study 7803

Feel free to use the code. I don't guarantee the absence of bugs.

Larry Hoyle

Using XML Mapper and XMLMAP to Read Data Documented by Data Documentation Initiative (DDI) Files