BMDP



BMDP and the Year 2000


BMDP will run after the turn of the century.  Programs 1L (Life Tables with Survivor Functions) and 2L (Survival Analysis with Covariates) are two BMDP programs which deal specifically with dates and both can handle dates from the year 2000 and after.  The programs accept calendar dates as input - date of entry into the study and date of termination. These two dates are then automatically converted into a time-on-study variable.  The year variable can be entered either as a two digit or four digit number. If the years of entry and termination are in the same century, only the last two digits need be present. If the years of entry and termination occur in two different centuries, you must represent both years with the entire four digits.

However, a problem can occur with the use of DATE functions in a /TRANSFORM paragraph.  Although the year variable can be entered as a four digit number, the date functions perform the calculations internally using only the last two digits and assumes that all years are from the twentieth century. A solution to this problem can be reviewed at http://www.statsol.ie/prbmy.htm .



Introduction
Current Release
Related Documentation
JCL for BMDP
Accessing BMDP through SAS


Introduction

BMDP (BioMeDical computer programs - P Series) is a comprehensive package of FORTRAN-based statistical programs which includes procedures for descriptive statistics, crosstabulation, and a number of multivariate techniques.  Using an English-like control language, BMDP programs communicate by means of files that contain data, correlations, variable names, etc.  These programs have extensive data management, editing, and transformation capabilities.

SAS Users should note that BMDP programs can be accessed through a SAS procedure called PROC BMDP.  Refer to Accessing BMDP through SAS for details.

This documentation was produced by the Academic Research and Data Center of USC.  Questions about this handout should be referred to a statistical consultant at 777-6865.

Current Release

The system default release is 1987.  Releases 1988 and 1990 are also available.  See JCL for BMDP for details.

Related Documentation

The following manuals are available for reference at Computer Services Division, and may be purchased directly from BMDP, Statistical Software, Inc., 1440 Sepulveda Boulevard, Suite 316, Los Angeles, CA 90025 (telephone: (213) 479-7799).

BMDP User's Digest - 1990 Revision.  It is a compact guide designed for quick reference.  It provides brief examples and a complete list of program instructions and options.

BMDP Statistical Software Manual, Volume 1 -- 1990 Revision.  Volume 1 introduces BMDP and describes the most commonly used programs.  It includes a series of introductory chapters describing the main components of BMDP programs.

BMDP Statistical Software Manual, Volume 2 -- 1990 Revision.  Volume 2 covers the most specialized or advanced program.

Copies of BMDP Communications, the BMDP newsletter, are also available for examination in the CS Reference Room.

JCL For BMDP

Following is the basic Job Control Language (JCL) needed to access BMDP (release 1987): 


          JOB statement
     // EXEC BIMED,PROG=BMDPXX
          BMDP Control Statements
     //

If transformations to the data are made with FORTRAN rather than the BMDP program itself, the EXEC statement should be changed as follows: 

    // EXEC BIMEDT,PROG=BMDPXX

To access the 1988 release, execute: 

    // EXEC BIMED88,PROG=BMDPXX

To do any transformations to the data with FORTRAN under Release 1988 code: 

    // EXEC BIMEDT88,PROG=BMDPXX

To access the 1990 test release, execute: 

    // EXEC BIMED90,PROG=BMDPXX

To do any transformations to the data with FORTRAN under Release 1990 code: 

    // EXEC BIMEDT90,PROG=BMDPXX

Accessing BMDP through SAS

The following is an example of using SAS Version 5.18 to access BMDP Release 1987.  A SAS data set is created (SURV) and analyzed using the BMDP program BMDP1L.  Note that the CODE='SURV' parameter matches the name of the SAS data set. 


     // EXEC SASBMDP
     //SYSIN DD *
     DATA SURV;
     INPUT ENTER LOST DEAD;
     CARDS;
          data cards
     PROC BMDP PROG=BMDP1L UNIT=3;
     PARMCARDS;
     /PROB TITLE = 'LIFE TABLES AND SURVIVAL FUNCTIONS'.
     / INPUT UNIT=3. CODE='SURV'.
     / VARIABLE NAMES ARE ENTER, LOST, DEAD.
     / FORM NENTER = ENTER.
          NLOST  = LOST.
          NDEAD  = DEAD.
     / ESTIMATE METHOD = LIFE.
          PLOTS = SURV, CUM, HAZ, DEN.
     / END
     //

To access SAS Version 6.07 and Release 1990 of BMDP the EXEC card has to be changed to: 

     // EXEC SAS6BMDP

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*SAS is the registered trademark of SAS Institute Inc., Cary, N.C. 27511, U.S.A.

This page updated 3 September 1999 by Amy W. Yarbrough, Academic Research and Data Center.
Copyright © 1999, The Board of Trustees of the University of South Carolina.
URL http://www.sc.edu/ardc/docs/bmdp.htm