10 Keyboard Shortcuts Every SAS Programmer Should Know in StatDataViewer
StatDataViewer's shortcuts follow one design principle: every letter matches the first letter of the action it performs. D is for Dataset filter. F is for Frequency. H is for Hide. Once you learn the mental model, you remember all of them.
Here are the ten shortcuts that will change how you work with data.
1. D — Dataset filter
Click any cell and press D. The dataset is immediately filtered to rows where that variable equals that value. Press D again on another cell to add a second condition.
This replaces writing: where aebodsys = "INFECTIONS" and aesev = "SEVERE"; — but takes two keypresses instead.
2. L — Library filter
Press L on a USUBJID value to apply that WHERE clause to every dataset in the library simultaneously. Open AE, CM, LB — all filtered to one subject. This is the most powerful shortcut in the application.
3. C / Alt+C — Clear filter
C clears the dataset filter. Alt+C clears the library filter. Together, these reset you to the full unfiltered view in two keystrokes.
4. Z — Undo filter
Each press steps back one filter condition. If you applied three conditions and the last one was wrong, Z removes just that condition, not all three. Much more precise than clearing and restarting.
5. F — Frequency
Click any cell in a column and press F. A frequency window opens showing Value, Count, and Percent. Ctrl-click across multiple columns then press F for a crosstab.
6. N — USUBJID count
The clinical equivalent of F. Instead of counting rows, it counts distinct USUBJIDs per value. N gives you subject-level incidence in one keypress.
7. H / U — Hide / Unhide
H hides the current column. Alt+H hides all columns. Then use the Variables panel to unhide only the ones you need. U unhides everything.
This is especially useful for wide ADaM datasets where you need to focus on 5 key variables out of 200.
8. G — Go to variable
In the Variables panel, find the variable you want, right-click it, and press G. The data window scrolls to that column instantly. No manual horizontal scrolling across 200 columns.
9. V — Variable metadata
With the cursor in a column, press V. The Variables panel shows the variable's label, type, length, and format. Never dig through a define.xml just to check a variable's label.
10. Ctrl+P — Quick Open
Press Ctrl+P and start typing a dataset name. The Quick Open dialog filters across all open libraries as you type — press Enter to open the first match. Finding and opening any dataset takes under 2 seconds regardless of how many libraries are open.
Bonus: see all shortcuts in one dialog
Go to Help → Show Shortcut Keys. A searchable dialog lists every shortcut in the application, organized by category. This updates automatically with each new version — it is the authoritative reference.
Practice tip
Open a SAS dataset, enable library filter on a USUBJID (L), check frequencies (F), count subjects (N), hide noise columns (H), jump to a variable (G), then clear everything (C, U). Ten minutes of deliberate practice and these keys become muscle memory.
See the full Keyboard shortcuts reference in the documentation, or try everything in your browser right now.