XML Basics for SAS Programmers

XML is a simple dialect of SGML(Standard Generalized Markup Language). Originally designed to meet the challenges of large-scale electronic publishing, XML has evolved to play an increasingly important role in the exchange of a wide variety of data on the Web and elsewhere. CDISC (Clinical Data Interchange Standards Consortium) has developed several XML-based models for the electronic acquisition, exchange, submission, and archival of clinical trials data. Using XML as the underlying technology for data formatting fits the FDA’s strategic direction for electronic submissions. However, XML has not been widely presented at recent SAS user conferences. In this paper, we will describe XML and its basic structure, examine differences between XML and its cousin HTML, and evaluate potential advantages for XML-based submissions compared to the current XPT format. We will also consider other potential uses of XML and review new SAS tools available for reading and writing XML.