Integrating Flask Python Code with SAS Platform on Azure

In this blog post, we will explore how to integrate Flask Python code with the SAS platform provided by Azure. We will discuss the steps involved in setting up the integration and provide a sample code snippet to validate the solution.

Prerequisites

Before we begin, make sure you have the following prerequisites in place:

• An Azure account with access to the SAS platform
• Basic knowledge of Flask and Python programming

Step 1: Set up Flask Application

The first step is to set up a Flask application that will serve as the backend for your integration. Follow these steps to create a basic Flask application:

1. Install Flask using the following command:

   pip install flask
   

2. Create a new Python file, e.g., app.py, and import the Flask module:

   from flask import Flask
   

3. Create a Flask application instance:

   app = Flask(__name__)
   

4. Define a route and a corresponding function to handle the request:

   @app.route('/')
   def hello():
       return 'Hello, SAS platform!'
   

5. Run the Flask application:

   if __name__ == '__main__':
       app.run()
   

Step 2: Deploy Flask Application

To integrate the Flask application with the SAS platform, you need to deploy it to a server accessible by the SAS platform. There are multiple ways to deploy a Flask application, such as using Azure App Service or Azure Container Instances. Choose the deployment method that best suits your requirements.

Step 3: Configure SAS Platform

Once your Flask application is deployed and accessible, you need to configure the SAS platform to interact with it. Follow these steps:

1. Open your SAS platform on Azure.

2. Navigate to the code editor or script editor where you want to integrate the Flask code.

3. Use the following code snippet to read the output of the Flask application:

   filename url url "http://<your-flask-app-url>";
   data _null_;
       infile url;
       input;
       put _infile_;
   run;
   

   Replace <your-flask-app-url> with the URL of your deployed Flask application.

4. Execute the SAS code and check the result window for the output of the Flask application.

Step 4: Validate the Solution

To validate the integration, you can modify the Flask application code to return some data and check if it is correctly received by the SAS platform. Here’s an example:

1. Modify the Flask route to return a JSON response:

   import json
   
   @app.route('/')
   def hello():
       data = {'message': 'Hello, SAS platform!'}
       return json.dumps(data)
   

2. Redeploy the Flask application.

3. Execute the SAS code again and verify if the JSON response is correctly displayed in the result window.

Conclusion

Integrating Flask Python code with the SAS platform on Azure is a powerful way to leverage the capabilities of both technologies. By following the steps outlined in this blog post, you can seamlessly integrate Flask applications into your SAS platform workflows.

Remember to adapt the code and configurations to your specific requirements and explore additional features and functionalities offered by Azure and Flask.

Happy coding!

• integration
• Python
• web development