Unlike many introductory Python trainings which are designed to teach the language itself, this class is task-driven. You will learn how Python can be used to solve problems that you already know how to solve in SAS.

Python is a large language and this class will focus on an introduction to one part of Python – Pandas. Pandas is the Python module that accesses a table of data (think SAS dataset or Excel sheet). Most programmers manipulating data in Python use the Pandas package.

Class attendees will receive a PDF that includes all of the slides and a written transcript of the webinar, plus all the code and sample data.

Russ is planning to offer five sessions of Zoom “office hours” following the training, where course attendees will be able to meet with him to discuss questions or further extensions of the concepts presented in the class. This will also be an opportunity for hands-on coaching in a common python Interactive Development Environment, Spyder (a SAS-like interface). Specific dates and times will be shared during the class.

Level and Prerequisites

This course is appropriate for programmers with any level of SAS experience.  No previous Python experience is required, but even those with some experience will benefit from this course.

Schedule 

The webinar is from 9am to 4:30pm.  There will be a 1-hour break for lunch.  Specific dates and times for Russ's office hour sessions will be shared during the class.

Class Outline 

•  Introduction to Python and the Spyder IDE  

•  Setting useful Python options  

•  SQL on Pandas DataFrames  

•  Python History - How we got here makes things easier to understand  

•  Reading Data into Pandas DataFrames  

•  The three most common plotting libraries (Seaborn and the two matplotlib syntaxes)   

•  Different methods for sorting different kinds of Python Objects  

•  "PROC Freq" in Python (Unique, count, counter, set, value_counts, crosstab, group_bym Pivot table)  

•  Common methods for selecting subsets of a DataFrame  

•  "Appending and Merging" in Python - four methods  

•  Different ways to create a new variable in a DataFrame (how to loop over rows and calculate on each row)

Refund Policy

Refunds are only available upon request received by 5:00 PM, Sunday, May 8. Any refunds will deduct $25 per attendee per class for losses due to credit card processing and online registration charges. Contact BASUG at registrations@basug.org to request a refund. If BASUG needs to cancel the class for any reason, we will provide a full refund to all registrants.