android – Holland Numerics: Blog and Forums

Windows 11 can run Android apps!

If you use Windows 11, and it has been updated to 22H2, then you can run Android apps from Amazon Appstore or side-load them as APK files.

Install “Amazon Appstore” from the Microsoft Store on your Windows 11 PC. This will give you access to Android apps in the Amazon Appstore, but will also install the Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA). If you cannot find this software there, then you may still need to update Windows 11 to 22H2.

There is at least one Holland Numerics app that can be installed directly from the Amazon Appstore, “How Do You Do This in SAS?“, which is free and will give you a taste of what the other Android apps will look like on Windows 11.
If you want to install Android apps from APK files, then you will need to install another app from the Microsoft Store. I have tested a few of the free APK installers, and am currently using “Apk File Installer“.

If you would like to install some of my apps directly from APK files on Windows 11, then they can be downloaded from the Windows 10/11 Store (which includes prices), and select one of the apps with “(Android app)” in their name, They are downloaded as Zip files, which must be unzipped before installing with the APK installer, including:
- SAS course apps
- How Do I Do This in SAS? apps
- Brain training apps
- Puzzles and games apps
Additional email setup may be needed in Windows 11 for the “SAS course” and “How Do I Do This in SAS?” apps, as they use “mailto:” links, which must be associated with an email client.

SAS training for home-workers: Keeping your mind active and your skills current

I have been working from home on and off since 1996, so it now feels quite normal to start my work day by walking from my kitchen into my office. I know some of my colleagues have struggled with the many distractions that exist at home, so I suppose I’ve been lucky, but I still do not like doing nothing at all. To stop any boredom setting in I will look for ways to do something useful, and, over the years, I have taught myself many programming languages by reading books, running example code, and trying to write applications that will be useful day-to-day, for example:

Database applications for calculating hours left to work and printing invoices in Visual Basic.
Web applications to send me emails and SMS messages in Perl.
Smartphone apps for webOS (remember HP/Palm phones?) in Javascript and HTML5.
Smartphone apps for Android in Java.
Crossword puzzle word-finder scripts in LibreOffice Basic.
SAS Enterprise Guide custom tasks in VB.Net.
SAS Studio custom tasks in XML.

Each language presents a different set of problems and solutions, so each new solution will broaden your knowledge of the computer world. Not all language have been central to my day job, but my views on solving computer problems has been moulded by each new programming language I’ve used. In 1996 there was no significant online help, so you couldn’t easily ask anyone for help, but instead you had to rely on hints and tips in computer magazines. Later the online communities have become vital, but you will now have to ask your questions in the correct way, so that it will be understood by each community, as names are not necessarily consistent, otherwise your question is likely to be ignored. I’ve now found ways to improve the chances of my questions being answered, even if my problems are not always resolved:

Write a subject line that asks a question that could be answered, otherwise it probably won’t even be read.
Set the scene by describing the environment you are working in, such as operating system, and software language and version.
Describe in as much detail as you can what you are trying to do, what you have already tried, and any results/messages that you are getting, even if you don’t understand them.
Never assume that you’re problem can be solved, but work with anyone who offers you assistance.
Be humble and grateful, because there will be programmers out there who know more about this than you, and you might need to call on their skills again.

So what has all this got to do with SAS training? Well, thanks to COVID-19, there are now more home-workers than ever before, and in some cases the work available may not be filling your day, so what can you do to fill your spare time and improve your programming knowledge? I have gathered together some sources of SAS training and information which are either free or inexpensive, which you may find useful, and if you find out about any more, then post a comment and I’ll be happy to check them out:

Training courses:
- My corporate SAS training courses are intended for large groups, but each course has an associated eBook that is much cheaper and available through the Training section on this site.
- I have a low-cost forum with a monthly subscription called the SAS Programming Forum, which welcomes SAS programming questions, but also includes the SAS course with a growing number of SAS-related topics, such as Data Steps, SAS Macros and PROC SQL, either as individual posts or LMS courses.
- If you prefer to learn from eBooks or Android apps, then the topics in the SAS course are also available as eBooks and Android apps (on Amazon Appstore and Google Play).
Papers and books:
- The Conferences Paper section on this site is filled with papers covering a wide range of SAS-related topics, which can be downloaded for free.
- Other SAS-related books can be bought through the Books section on this site.
- The largest searchable collection of SAS-related conference papers is maintained by Lex Jansen, including papers from SUGI, SeUGI, regional SAS user groups and forums, VIEWS, PhUSE, PharmaSUG and SAS Global Forum.
Competitive learning:
- Sasensei is a SAS-related quiz and learning site where the flashcards, questions and quizzes are contributed by the users, and you earn points and awards from contributions and correct answers, but you will always learn from your incorrect answers too.
SAS support:
- I’ve mentioned the SAS Programming Forum on this site, but the SAS Institute has a large and well-resourced Community Support site, where SAS staff and users can answer your programming questions for free.
SAS programming platforms for learning:
- SAS University Edition is free for use as a learning platform, and can either be downloaded and installed on your laptop using VMware or VirtualBox, or accessed through the web on the AWS Cloud.
- WPS Analytics Community Edition is a free version of WPS Analytics, which can be licensed from World Programming for 6 months at a time and installed on your PC, and can run SAS programs using quite a large subset of SAS programming features, and includes R and Python interfaces.

I think that should at least get you started on your SAS improvement projects!

I’ve added the final topic of the SAS Macros course in the SAS course (in the SAS Programming Forum)

I’ve added the final topic of the SAS Macros course in the SAS course (in the SAS Programming Forum), and it describes some of the syntax used in SAS Macros processing.

I have added, for those who don’t want to follow the course but would prefer to read the course notes, a copy of course notes as a downloadable PDF ebook, and I have now published Android ebook apps with the same content on Google Play and Amazon Appstore.

As other SAS courses are finalised I will be publishing them as PDF ebooks and Android apps too.

Please enjoy if you’ve subscribed to the SAS Programming Forum.

I’ve added 5 more topics to the Macros course in the SAS course (in the SAS Programming Forum)

I’ve added 5 more topics to the Macros course in the SAS course (in the SAS Programming Forum), and they describe more of the syntax used in SAS macro programming.

I have added, for those who don’t want to follow the course but would prefer to read the course notes, copies of some of the course notes as downloadable PDF ebooks, and I have now published Android ebook apps with the same content on Google Play and Amazon Appstore.

The Macros book and apps will be published after I’ve added the final topic, and as other SAS courses are finalised I will be publishing them as PDF ebooks and Android apps too.

How good are you at calculating in your head? Are you calculator-dependent?

Improving mental arithmetic (calculating in your head) has been a long-term quest for me. My 3 daughters were subjected to numerical puzzle questions whenever we were on long journeys, and now none of them routinely use calculators, unless absolutely necessary.

I used to develop JavaScript-based apps for the webOS platforms in Palm and HP devices, and created a number of mental arithmetic apps. I’ve recently found the time to re-engineer some of them to work on Android devices, and the following apps can now be found on Google Play and Amazon Appstore:

Arithmetic Brain – 8 different levels of 10 randomly generated questions about addition, subtraction and multiplication. Here are the links to Google Play and Amazon Appstore.

Multiply Brain – 19 different levels of 10 randomly generated questions on multiplication from x2 to x20. Here are the links to Google Play and Amazon Appstore.

Decimal Brain – 8 different levels of 10 randomly generated questions about decimal addition, subtraction and multiplication. Here are the links to Google Play and Amazon Appstore.

Fraction Brain – 4 different levels of 10 randomly generated questions about fraction addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Here are the links to Google Play and Amazon Appstore.

Full details about what is included in each Android app can be found on each app page.

I’ve added the final topic of the Data Steps course in the SAS course (in the SAS Programming Forum)

I’ve added the final topic of the Data Steps course in the SAS course (in the SAS Programming Forum), and it describes some of the syntax used in Data Step processing.

As other SAS courses are finalised I will be publishing them as PDF ebooks and Android apps too.

Apologies to anyone who recently downloaded my SAS Training Course List, but a new one for 2018 is now available!

Apologies to anyone who recently downloaded my SAS Training Course List, but a new one for 2018 is now available as a free download!

The significant updates in the 2018 list are:

The new 1/2-day PROC SQL course is now available.
A new 1/4-day Introduction to ODS RTF course is now included, which should be considered as an add-on course, rather than to be booked on its own. Note that a 1/4-day course costs half of a 1/2-day course. However, any travelling and accommodation expenses will be the same, of course.

Finally a quick reminder that course notes for some of the courses can be purchased separately as PDF eBooks or Android apps. See the training page in the Product Shop for all the available course notes and also the latest Training Course List.

I’ve added the final topic of the PROC SQL course in the SAS course (in the SAS Programming Forum)

I’ve added the final topic of the PROC SQL course in the SAS course (in the SAS Programming Forum), and it describes some of the limitations and differences between the SQL language in PROC SQL and the ANSI (American National Standards Institute) guidelines for SQL.

I’ve also added, for those who don’t want to follow the course but would prefer to read the course notes, a copy of course notes as a downloadable PDF ebook, and have published Android ebook apps with the same content on Google Play and Amazon Appstore.

As other SAS courses are finalised I will be publishing them as PDF ebooks and Android apps too.

Are you dreaming of an Android Christmas?

Most of you will know that I have been a SAS programmer for over 30 years, but I also use other programming languages too. The first language I learnt was FORTRAN IV while I was an undergraduate at the University of York, with which I wrote the mark-up language that I used to format my thesis, and I also played with BASIC while I was at university. More recently I have developed functionality for my web sites in JavaScript, Java and Perl, and created Enterprise Guide Add-ins in VB.Net.

However, when I bought my first smartphone, a Palm Pre, in 2010, I discovered that I could write my own apps for its operating system webOS in JavaScript, and joining the webOS developer group was free. This gave me my first experience of selling apps for smartphones and tablets. Unfortunately webOS did not survive very long after HP bought Palm, so I branched out into writing apps in JavaScript for Chrome browsers, and for Android devices in Java. Now even the Chrome Web Store is no longer accepting new or updated apps, so I am left with just developing for Android devices.

My core Android apps are a series of what I call ebook apps focusing on SAS programming. They were originally developed in JavaScript for webOS, but have ported fairly well to Java, and each contains a collection of rich text “ebook” pages that display automatically scaled and formatted text and images to match your own device dimensions and orientation. You can also email out the code samples and ask new questions for future releases. The Google Play and Amazon Appstore functionality to update installed versions of these apps means that any new or updated pages are automatically sent to existing app users.

Every now and then I get “bright” ideas for games and educational apps. A number of my existing Chrome browser apps are about improving mental arithmetic, which I see as becoming a lost skill. There are 3 apps available in the Chrome Web Store called Arithmetic Brain Quest, Multiply Brain Quest and Fraction Brain Quest. Each game randomly generates 10 questions in the different categories, which must be answered correctly in the allotted to build a pile of blocks to reach the top of the screen, with a high score saved for each category.

There are also some Android puzzle solver and game apps which can be downloaded directly from my blog site, because the Google Play and Amazon Appstore functionality is not required when these apps are in their final versions. The puzzle solver apps are to help you develop or solve puzzles you may see in newspapers, magazines and on-line for Sudoku 6×6, Sujiko and Master Sujiko.

My most recent game apps are based on a board game created by Tri-Ang in 1970 called Check-Lines. The board had 11 holes joined by straight lines, and 2 players had 5 pieces each with the aim of placing them to form 2 straight lines of 3 pieces each, so 1 piece was part of both lines like an X, L, V or T. The game starts with an empty board and the players take turns to place their pieces in empty holes, and then, when all the pieces are on the board, moving one of their pieces along a straight line into the empty hole until 2 lines are created, or no move is possible. I have created 2 apps, one is a free “dumb” app Check-Lines Board which just enforces the rules, and the other app Play Check-Lines uses a simple AI to provide the 2nd player with hints, as shown in the screenshot.

Whatever you are doing at this time of the year I would like to wish everyone a very happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year!

Are you interested in SAS macros or SAS efficiency? I’ve updated both apps in Google Play and Amazon Appstore

Are you interested in SAS macros or SAS programming efficiency? I’ve updated my Android apps focusing on both these topics in Google Play and Amazon Appstore.

New app updates available in Google Play and Amazon Appstore

Android 8.0 is coming very soon, so I have started preparing my apps for this new platform, while still maintaining the same functionality for Android versions back to 2.3.3 (Gingerbread). However, I will not be further updating my Chrome apps, as the Chrome Web Store has stopped accepting new apps, and is likely to stop hosting existing apps soon too.

The first paid-for app to be updated for Android 8.0, including 6 more questions, is:

Studio: Do This in SAS? (Google Play)
Studio: How Do You Do This in SAS? (Amazon Appstore)

and the 2 free apps, including samples from the other apps:

How Do You Do This in SAS? (Google Play and Amazon Appstore)
Consulting: Do This in SAS? (Google Play)
Consulting: How Do You Do This in SAS? (Amazon Appstore)

Update to more of my Android apps will follow shortly.

This is quick reminder that I still have the following apps available in Google Play:

Data Steps: Do This in SAS?
SQL: Do This in SAS?
Graphs: Do This in SAS?
Platforms: Do This in SAS?
EG: Do This in SAS?
Macros: Do This in SAS?
Efficiency: Do This in SAS?
Studio: Do This in SAS?

These apps are also available for Android users in the Amazon Appstore:

Data Steps: How Do You Do This in SAS?
SQL: How Do You Do This in SAS?
Graphs: How Do You Do This in SAS?
Platforms: How Do You Do This in SAS?
EG: How Do You Do This in SAS?
Macros: How Do You Do This in SAS?
Efficiency: How Do You Do This in SAS?
Studio: How Do You Do This in SAS?

There are also free apps, which you can find by searching in each app store:

How Do You Do This in SAS? (Google Play and Amazon Appstore)
Consulting: Do This in SAS? (Google Play)
Consulting: How Do You Do This in SAS? (Amazon Appstore)

All these apps are updated frequently, and the paid-for apps are priced at less than US$3 based on the number of questions that are answered, and within the apps you can ask new questions that can be added in future updates. It doesn’t matter which platform you use, as the same content is present in the corresponding Google Play and Amazon Appstore apps.

4 newly updated apps about Enterprise Guide, SAS macros, platforms and graphs

I’ve now updated my remaining four apps, which can all be installed from Google Play, Amazon Appstore and Chrome Web Store, depending on your preferred platform.

“EG: How Do You Do This in SAS?” looks at writing and running SAS programs using Enterprise Guide. This paid-for app has had some of the answer text updated, including a link to this blog.

“Macros: How Do You Do This in SAS?” looks at SAS macros. This paid-for app has had some of the answer text updated, including a link to this blog.

“Platforms: How Do You Do This in SAS?” looks at SAS platform-dependencies on Windows, UNIX, Linux and z/OS. This paid-for app has had some of the answer text updated, including a link to this blog.

“Graphs: How Do You Do This in SAS?” looks at generating graphs using classic SAS/GRAPH and the new ODS Graphics. This paid-for app now includes information about how to annotate stacked bar charts in ODS Graphics.

The latest versions of all the apps can be found here.