A DDI3.2 Style for Data and Metadata Extracted from SAS

Earlier work by Wackerow and Hoyle has shown that DDI can be a useful medium for interchange of data and metadata among statistical packages. DDI 3.2 has new features which enhance this capability, such as the ability to use UserAttributePairs to represent custom attributes. The metadata from a statistical package can also be represented in DDI3.2 using several different styles – embedded in a StudyUnit, in a Resource Package, or in a set of Fragments. The DDI Documentation for a Fragment states “A Fragment is a means of transporting a maintainable or versionable object plus any associated notes and other material.” The DDI Documentation for a ResourcePackage states “The Resource Package is a specialized structure which is intended to hold reusable metadata outside of the structures of a single StudyUnit or Group” The DDI Documentation for a StudyUnit states “A primary packaging and publication module within DDI representing the purpose, background, development, data capture, and data products related to a study” This paper looks at metadata (including extended attributes) extracted from SAS datasets using a SAS EnterpriseGuide addin. The extracted DDI is represented as a set of Fragment elements in a FragmentInstance.