SAS 9.4 Language Reference, 6th Edition

Customizing Your SAS Session

Setting Default System Option Settings

You can use a configuration file to store system options with the settings that you want.

When you invoke SAS, these settings are in effect. SAS system options determine how

SAS initializes its interfaces with your computer hardware and the operating

environment, how it reads and writes data, how output appears, and other global

functions.

By placing SAS system options in a configuration file, you can avoid having to specify

the options every time you invoke SAS. For example, you can specify the NODATE

system option in your configuration file to prevent the date from appearing at the top of

each page of your output.

Operating Environment Information

See the SAS documentation for your operating environment for more information

about the configuration file. In some operating environments, you can use both a

system-wide and a user-specific configuration file.

Executing Statements Automatically

To execute SAS statements automatically each time you invoke SAS, store them in an

autoexec file. SAS executes the statements automatically after the system is initialized.

You can activate this file by specifying the AUTOEXEC= system option.

Any SAS statement can be included in an autoexec file. For example, you can set report

titles, footnotes, or create macros or macro variables automatically with an autoexec file.

Operating Environment Information

See the SAS documentation for your operating environment for information about

how autoexec files should be set up so that they can be located by SAS.

Customizing the SAS Windowing Environment

You can customize many aspects of the SAS windowing environment and store your

settings for use in future sessions. With the SAS windowing environment, you can

perform the following tasks:

• Change the appearance and sorting order of items in the Explorer window.

• Customize the Explorer window by registering member, entry, and file types.

• Set up favorite folders.

• Customize the toolbar.

• Set fonts, colors, and preferences.

See the SAS online Help for more information and for additional ways to customize

your SAS windowing environment.

10 Chapter 1 • Essential Concepts of Base SAS Software