Utility Package
Overview: UTL Package
This chapter describes the various utility object classes that the utility (UTL) package contains. The UTL package provides a set of multipurpose tools that simplify the development of time series analysis programs for the TSMODEL procedure. The following types of computation are currently supported by the UTL package:
computing prediction standard errors and confidence limits for specified actual and predicted time series
computing and storing model forecast fit statistics in tables for specified actual and predicted time series
storing ad hoc numeric variables that are defined in a user program in tables
timing the execution of arbitrary portions of the time series analysis program that you submit as input to the TSMODEL procedure
The UTL package is object-oriented. To use the UTL package, you must declare instances of the object classes that the package contains. Declaring an object instance is the object-oriented equivalent of declaring a program variable. As with simple program variables, the declaration assigns the instance a name of your choosing and assigns a type, which is defined by the object’s class. Unlike simple program variables, the object instance requires a different syntax for interacting with it and offers different functions (methods) that are contextual to the object. The object can offer highly sophisticated capabilities with a simple-to-use interface.