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Status Future consideration
Created by Guest
Created on Sep 23, 2025

SAS: Do not scan/show files containing macros and other functions

Background: SAS code is organized in several files. For example driver.sas and driver2.sas files both call child.sas, which then calls grandchild.sas. When Manta is asked to scan the codebase, it will show the code in grandchild.sas 4 times, once each for driver.sas, driver2.sas, child.sas, and grandchild.sas . This cases user confusion. Additionally Manta will log errors because there may be variables used by child.sas, and grandchild.sas that are declared in driver.sas and driver2.sas. Manta will incorrectly claim that these variables are not defined, and then show incorrect lineage.

 

What should happen: Manta should only show lineage for driver.sas and driver2.sas and include the remaining files as part of the lineage of these two files.

How: The following is one way to solve this problem:

Manta, when it scans all the SAS code, creates an internal dependency graph showing how each file is invoked. Thus, in this example: 

 

driver.sas. -----> 
driver2.sas -----> child.sas
                            ----> grandchild.sas

 

From this directed acyclic graph, we can identify the nodes which nodes have no incoming edge: which is driver.sas and driver2.sas. CAll these "driver programs". Manta should only scan driver programs, and use remaining files as supplimentary macros. Supplimentary files should be ingested, but not analysed.

 

Current Workaround:

We have a very convoluted way to solve this today:

  1. Manually review all the codebase to identify the driver programs and the supllimentary programs
  2. Create one SAS connection for driver programs, and another for supllimentary programs
  3. For the driver-program connection, 
    1. change the "SAS macro include directory" to ${manta.dir.input}/sas/macros/${sas.dictionary.id} instead of ${manta.dir.input}/sas/${sas.dictionary.id} so that it stays outside of the "SAS input directory"
    2. Configure "Ingest - Agent/Git user input locations" to only place the driver programs. This requires servela clicks steps for each driver program. 
  4. For the supplimentary-programs connection:
    1. Set the "SAS input directory" to the directory that was used for "SAS macro include directory"  for the driver-program connection
    2. Configure "Ingest - Agent/Git user input locations" to only place the supplimentary-programs programs. This requires servela clicks steps for each supplimentary-programs. This may be marginally easier if the supplimenrary programs are kept on a different folder in Git.
  5. Set up a worflow where:
    1.  The ingest and analyse scenario of driver-program connection
    2. The ingest scenario of supplimentary-programs connection
  6. Execute the workflow.

Result: Manta will scan only the driver-programs, then pick up the relevant submodules from the "SAS macro include directory", and then show the full llienage in Manta Flow Viewer. The submodules as not shown in the navigation bar on the Flow Viewer.

Needed By Yesterday (Let's go already!)