There are several ways to specify values for SAS system options:
as part of the command that invokes SAS
as part of a SAS configuration file that is processed when SAS initializes
in a Windows environment variable (SAS_OPTIONS) that is processed when SAS initializes
as part of a custom option set that is processed when you launch a new SAS process
as part of the OPTIONS statement from within your SAS session
using the interactive SAS System Options window, which you can access by selecting
Tools – Options – System
within SCL or SAS/AF programs, using the OPTSETC and OPTSETN SCL functions.
Some system options can be specified only when a SAS session or process is initialized (starts up), while other options can be changed as needed during your SAS session.
It is important to remember the differences in syntax between specifying a system option in the SAS command when you start SAS or in the SAS configuration file, and specifying a system option in the OPTIONS statement. The syntax for these situations is different, and if you use the wrong syntax, SAS generates an error message. For information on the OPTIONS statement, see SAS Language Reference: Dictionary .
When you specify a system option at initialization, it must be preceded by a hyphen (-). For on or off options, just list the keyword corresponding to the appropriate setting.
For example, the following command invokes SAS and indicates that SAS output should not be centered:
c:\sas\sas.exe -nocenter
For options that take a value, do not use an equal sign; follow the option name with a space and then the value. For example, the following SAS command invokes SAS with a line length of 132:
c:\sas\sas.exe -linesize 132
Physical names (that is, directory names or filenames) should be enclosed in double quotes when you use them in the SAS command or in the SAS configuration file. The quotes are especially necessary when the file or path name that you are specifying contains a space or single quote character, which are valid characters in Windows filenames. For example, the following SAS command invokes SAS and indicates that autocall macros are stored in the C:\SAS\ CORE \SASMACRO directory:
c:\sas\sas.exe -sasautos "c:\sas\core\sasmacro"
Double quotation marks are also needed when an option value contains ˜= , as shown in this example:
c:\sas\sas.exe -set fruit "navel=orange"
To specify more than one option in the SAS command, simply separate each option with a space. For example, the following SAS command combines the three options shown previously in this section:
c:\sas\sas.exe -linesize 132 -nocenter -sasautos "c:\sas\core\sasmacro"
The SAS configuration file must contain only option settings; it cannot contain SAS statements. For example, a configuration file named MySASConfig.CFG may contain these option specifications (among others):
-nocenter -noxwait -pagesize 60
All SAS system options can appear in a SAS configuration file. For more information on SAS configuration files, see SAS Configuration Files on page 13.
To provide more flexibility for storing SAS files across different drives, such as multiple logical drives on your hard disk or on a network, SAS lets you concatenate SAS libraries. The concept of concatenation within SAS means that you can specify multiple drives or directories when you specify certain system options in the SAS configuration file or in the SAS command. To specify concatenated directories, specify the directory names inside parentheses, enclose each directory name in double quotes, and separate the directory names with spaces.
One practical use of concatenation is the storage of SAS help catalogs. If you want to partition your SAS products among two or more directories, simply specify these multiple directories with the SASHELP option in the SAS configuration file, as in the following example:
-sashelp ("c:\sas\core\sashelp" "d:\sas\stat\sashelp")
You can specify many SAS system options in an OPTIONS statement at any point within a SAS session. The options are set for the duration of the SAS session or until you change them with another OPTIONS statement. For more information about the OPTIONS statement, see SAS Language Reference: Dictionary .
When you specify a system option in the OPTIONS statement, do not precede the option name with a hyphen (-). Also, for system options that take a value, use an equal sign (=), not a space. For example, the following statement specifies that output is not to be labeled with a date and that the line size should be 132:
options nodate linesize=132;
Physical names (that is, directory names or filenames) must be enclosed in quotes when used in the OPTIONS statement. For example, the following OPTIONS statement indicates that autocall macros are stored in the C:\SAS\CORE\SASMACRO directory:
options sasautos="c:\sas\core\sasmacro";
Any file specification that is not enclosed in quotes in the OPTIONS statement is assumed to be a logical name, that is, a fileref or an environment variable name. If no logical name is found, SAS issues an error message.
Not all system options can be specified in the OPTIONS statement. To find out whether a system option can be specified in the OPTIONS statement, look up the option name in Table 22.1 on page 471, which summarizes all SAS system option information, including where you can specify the options.
Options Specification | Default Value | SAS invocation | Configuration file | SAS System Options window | OPTIONS statement | See |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ACCESSIBILITY | STANDARD | X | X | COMP | ||
ALTLOG arg | none | X | X | COMP | ||
ALTPRINT arg | NOALTPRINT | X | X | COMP | ||
APPLETLOC | none | X | X | X | X | LR |
ARMAGENT | none | X | X | X | X | LR |
ARMLOC | ARMLOC.LOG | X | X | X | X | LR |
ARMSUBSYS | ARM_NONE | X | X | X | X | LR |
ASYNCHIO | See LR | X | X | LR | ||
AUTHPROVIDER DOMAIN | none | X | X | LR | ||
AUTHSERVER | local and trusted servers | X | X | X | X | COMP |
AUTOEXEC arg | AUTOEXEC.SAS if file is available; otherwise none | X | X | COMP | ||
AUTOSAVELOC | none | X | X | X | X | LR |
AUTOSIGNON | NOAUTOSIGNON | X | X | X | X | CONN |
AWSCONTROL | SYSTEMMENU MINMAX TITLE | X | X | X | X | COMP |
AWSDEF arg | 80% of display height and width | X | X | X | X | COMP |
AWSMENU | AWSMENU | X | X | X | X | COMP |
AWSMENUMERGE | AWSMENUMERGE | X | X | X | X | COMP |
AWSTITLE arg | none | X | X | COMP | ||
BATCH | NOBATCH (interactive mode); BATCH (batch mode) | X | X | LR | ||
BINDING arg | DEFAULT | X | X | X | X | LR |
BOTTOMMARGIN | 0.000IN | X | X | X | X | LR |
BUFNO arg | 1 | X | X | X | X | LR, COMP |
BUFSIZE arg |
| X | X | X | X | LR, COMP |
BYERR | BYERR | X | X | X | X | LR |
BYLINE | BYLINE | X | X | X | X | LR |
BYSORTED | BYSORTED | X | X | X | X | LR |
CAPS | NOCAPS | X | X | X | X | LR |
CARDIMAGE | NOCARDIMAGE | X | X | X | X | LR |
CATCACHE arg |
| X | X | LR, COMP | ||
CBUFNO arg |
| X | X | X | X | LR |
CENTER | CENTER | X | X | X | X | LR |
CHARCODE | NOCHARCODE | X | X | X | X | LR |
CLEANUP | CLEANUP | X | X | X | X | LR, COMP |
CMDMAC | NOCMDMAC | X | X | X | X | MACRO |
CMPLIB arg | none | X | X | X | X | LR |
CMPOPT arg | (NOEXTRAMATH NOMISSCHECK NOPRECISE NOGUARDCHECK) | X | X | X | X | LR |
COLLATE | NOCOLLATE | X | X | X | X | LR |
COLORPRINTING | COLORPRINTING | X | X | X | X | LR |
COMAMID arg | TCP | X | X | X | CONN, SHR, METH | |
COMAUX1 arg | none | X | X | METH | ||
COMAUX2 arg | none | X | X | METH | ||
COMDEF arg | BOTTOM CENTER | X | X | COMP | ||
COMPRESS arg | NO | X | X | X | X | LR |
CONFIG arg | ! sasroot \SASV9.CFG | X | X | COMP | ||
CONNECTPERSIST | YES | X | X | CONN | ||
CONNECTREMOTE arg | none | X | X | X | X | CONN |
CONNECTSTATUS | CONNECTSTATUS | X | X | X | X | CONN |
CONNECTWAIT | CONNECTWAIT | X | X | X | X | CONN |
COPIES arg | 1 | X | X | X | X | LR |
CPUCOUNT arg | 1 | X | X | X | X | LR |
CPUID | CPUID | X | X | LR | ||
DATASTMTCHK arg | COREKEYWORDS | X | X | X | X | LR |
DATE | DATE | X | X | X | X | LR |
DATESTYLE | MDY | X | X | X | X | LR |
DBCS | NODBCS | X | X | NLS | ||
DBCSLANG arg | NONE | X | X | NLS | ||
DBCSTYPE arg | WINDOWS | X | X | NLS | ||
DBSLICEPARM | THREADED_APPS, 2 | X | X | X | X | ACC |
DBSRVTP | NONE | X | X | ACC | ||
DETAILS | NODETAILS | X | X | X | X | LR |
DEVICE arg | none | X | X | X | X | LR, COMP |
DFLANG arg | ENGLISH | X | X | X | X | NLS |
DKRICOND arg | ERROR | X | X | X | X | LR |
DKROCOND arg | WARN | X | X | X | X | LR |
DLDMGACTION | FAIL for batch mode; REPAIR for interactive mode | X | X | X | X | LR |
DMR | NODMR | X | X | LR, CONN | ||
DMS | DMS | X | X | LR | ||
DMSLOGSIZE arg | 99999 | X | X | LR | ||
DMSOUTSIZE arg | 99999 | X | X | LR | ||
DMSSYNCHK | NODMSSYNCHK | X | X | X | X | LR |
DQLOCALE arg | none | X | X | X | X | DQ |
DQSETUPLOC arg | none | X | X | X | X | DQ |
DSNFERR | DSNFERR | X | X | X | X | LR |
DTRESET | NODTRESET | X | X | X | X | LR |
DUPLEX arg | NODUPLEX | X | X | X | X | LR |
ECHO arg | NOECHO | X | X | COMP | ||
ECHOAUTO | NOECHOAUTO | X | X | LR | ||
EMAILAUTH PROTOCOL arg | NONE | X | X | LR | ||
EMAILDLG arg | NATIVE | X | X | COMP | ||
EMAILHOST arg | LOCALHOST | X | X | LR | ||
EMAILID arg | none | X | X | LR | ||
EMAILPORT arg | 25 | X | X | LR | ||
EMAILPW arg | none | X | X | LR | ||
EMAILSYS arg | MAPI | X | X | COMP | ||
ENCODING arg | wlatin1 | X | X | NLS | ||
ENGINE arg | V9 | X | X | LR, COMP | ||
ENHANCEDEDITOR | ENHANCEDEDITOR | X | X | COMP | ||
ERRORABEND | NOERRORABEND | X | X | X | X | LR |
ERRORBYABEND | NOERRORBYABEND | X | X | X | X | LR |
ERRORCHECK arg | NORMAL | X | X | X | X | LR |
ERRORS arg | 20 | X | X | X | X | LR |
EXPLORER | NOEXPLORER | X | X | LR | ||
FILTERLIST arg | none | X | X | COMP | ||
FIRSTOBS arg | 1 | X | X | X | X | LR |
FMTERR | FMTERR | X | X | X | X | LR |
FMTSEARCH arg | Work Library | X | X | X | X | LR |
FONT arg | Sasfont 8 | X | X | X | X | COMP |
FONTALIAS arg | varies | X | X | COMP | ||
FONTSLOC arg | ! sasroot \core\resource | X | X | LR, COMP | ||
FORMCHAR arg | (see SASV9.CFG) | X | X | X | X | LR, COMP |
FORMDLIM arg | none | X | X | X | X | LR |
FORMS arg | DEFAULT | X | X | X | X | LR |
FULLSTIMER | NOFULLSTIMER | X | X | X | COMP | |
GISMAPS | none | X | X | X | X | LR, COMP |
GWINDOW | GWINDOW | X | X | X | X | LR |
HELPENCMD | HELPENCMD | X | X | LR | ||
HELPINDEX arg | See COMP | X | X | COMP | ||
HELPLOC arg | ("! sasuser \classdoc" "! sasroot \core\help" "! sasroot \nls\en\help") | X | X | LR, COMP | ||
HELPREGISTER arg | none | X | X | COMP | ||
HELPTOC arg | See COMP | X | X | COMP | ||
HOSTPRINT | HOSTPRINT | X | X | X | X | COMP |
IBUFSIZE |
| X | X | X | X | LR |
ICON | NOICON | X | X | X | X | COMP |
IMPLMAC | NOIMPLMAC | X | X | X | X | MACRO |
INITCMD arg | none | X | X | LR | ||
INITSTMT arg | none | X | X | LR, COMP | ||
INVALIDDATA arg | a period (.) | X | X | X | X | LR |
JREOPTIONS | See SASV9.CFG | X | X | COMP | ||
LABEL | LABEL | X | X | X | X | LR |
_LAST_ arg | _NULL_ | X | X | X | X | LR |
LEFTMARGIN arg | 0.000IN | X | X | X | X | LR |
LINESIZE arg | varies | X | X | X | X | LR, COMP |
LOADMEMSIZE |
| X | X | COMP | ||
LOCALE | EN_US | X | X | X | X | NLS |
LOG arg | filename .LOG in batch mode | X | X | COMP | ||
LOGPARM | none | X | X | LR | ||
MACRO | MACRO | X | X | MACRO | ||
MAPS arg | ! sasext0 \maps | X | X | X | X | LR COMP |
MAUTOLOCDISPLAY | NOMAUTOLOC DISPLAY | X | X | X | X | MACRO |
MAUTOSOURCE | MAUTOSOURCE | X | X | X | X | MACRO |
MAXMEMQUERY |
| X | X | X | X | COMP |
MAXSEGRATIO | 75 | X | X | X | X | SPDE |
MCOMPILENOTE | none | X | X | X | X | MACRO |
MEMBLKSIZE | 16 MB | X | X | COMP | ||
MEMCACHE | OFF | X | X | X | X | COMP |
MEMLIB | NOMEMLIB | X | X | COMP | ||
MEMMAXSZ | 2G | X | X | COMP | ||
MEMSIZE |
| X | X | COMP | ||
MERGENOBY | NOWARN | X | X | X | X | LR |
MERROR | MERROR | X | X | X | X | MACRO |
METAAUTORESOURCES | none | X | X | LR | ||
METACONNECT | none | X | X | X | X | LR |
METAENCRYPTALG arg | none | X | X | LR | ||
METAENCRYPT LEVEL | EVERYTHING | X | X | LR | ||
METAID | see SASV9.CFG | X | X | LR | ||
METAPASS | none | X | X | X | X | LR |
METAPORT | see SASV9.CFG | X | X | X | X | LR |
METAPROFILE | none | X | X | LR | ||
METAPROTOCOL | BRIDGE | X | X | X | X | LR |
METAREPOSITIORY | see SASV9.CFG | X | X | X | X | LR |
METASERVER | see SASV9.CFG | X | X | X | X | LR |
METAUSER | none | X | X | X | X | LR |
MFILE | NOMFILE | X | X | X | X | MACRO |
MINDELIMITER | none | X | X | X | X | MACRO |
MINPARTSIZE |
| X | X | SPDE | ||
MISSING arg | a period (.) | X | X | X | X | LR |
MLOGIC | NOMLOGIC | X | X | X | X | MACRO |
MLOGICNEST | NOMLOGICNEST | X | X | X | X | MACRO |
MPRINT | NOMPRINT | X | X | X | X | MACRO |
MPRINTNEST | NOMPRINTNEST | X | X | X | X | MACRO |
MRECALL | NOMRECALL | X | X | X | X | MACRO |
MSG arg | ! sasroot \core\sasmsg | X | X | COMP | ||
MSGCASE | NOMSGCASE | X | X | COMP | ||
MSGLEVEL arg | N | X | X | X | X | LR |
MSTORED | NOMSTORED | X | X | X | X | MACRO |
MSYMTABMAX arg | 4,194,304 bytes | X | X | X | X | COMP, MACRO |
MULTENVAPPL | NOMULTENVAPPL | X | X | X | LR | |
MVARSIZE arg | 4,096 bytes | X | X | X | X | COMP, MACRO |
NETENCRYPT | NONETENCRYPT | X | X | X | X | CONN, SHR |
NETENCRYPT ALGORITHM arg | none | X | X | X | X | CONN, SHR |
NETENCRYPT KEYLEN arg |
| X | X | X | X | CONN, SHR |
NETMAC | NETMAC | X | X | X | X | CONN, SHR |
NEWS arg | none | X | X | LR, COMP | ||
NLSCOMPATMODE | NONLSCOMPATMODE | X | X | NLS | ||
NOTES | NOTES | X | X | X | X | LR |
NUMBER | NUMBER | X | X | X | X | LR |
NUMKEYS arg | varies | X | X | COMP | ||
NUMMOUSEKEYS arg | 3 | X | X | COMP | ||
OBJECTSERVER | NOOBJECTSERVER | X | X | LR | ||
OBS arg | MAX | X | X | X | X | LR, COMP |
ORIENTATION arg | PORTRAIT | X | X | X | X | LR |
OVP | NOOVP | X | X | X | X | LR |
PAGEBREAKINITIAL | NOPAGEBREAK INITIAL | X | X | LR | ||
PAGENO arg | 1 | X | X | X | X | LR, COMP |
PAGESIZE arg | varies | X | X | X | X | LR, COMP |
PAPERDEST arg | none | X | X | X | X | LR |
PAPERSIZE arg | LETTER | X | X | X | X | LR |
PAPERSOURCE arg | none | X | X | X | X | LR |
PAPERTYPE arg | STANDARD | X | X | X | X | LR, COMP |
PARM arg | none | X | X | X | X | LR |
PARMCARDS arg | FT15F001 | X | X | X | X | LR |
PATH arg | see SASV9.CFG | X | X | COMP | ||
PFKEY arg | WIN | X | X | COMP | ||
PRINT arg | filename .LST in batch mode | X | X | COMP | ||
PRINTERPATH arg | none | X | X | X | X | LR |
PRINTINIT | NOPRINTINIT | X | X | LR | ||
PRINTMSGLIST | PRINTMSGLIST | X | X | X | X | LR |
PRTABORTDLGS | BOTH | X | X | X | X | COMP |
PRTPERSIST DEFAULT | NOPRTPERSIST DEFAULT | X | X | COMP | ||
PRTSETFORMS | PRTSETFORMS | X | X | X | X | COMP |
QUOTELENMAX | QUOTELENMAX | X | X | X | X | LR |
REALMEMSIZE |
| X | X | COMP | ||
REGISTER arg | none | X | X | COMP | ||
REPLACE | REPLACE | X | X | X | X | LR |
RESOURCESLOC arg | see SASV9.CFG | X | X | COMP | ||
REUSE arg | NO | X | X | X | X | LR |
RIGHTMARGIN arg | 0.000 IN | X | X | X | X | LR |
RSASUSER | NORSASUSER | X | X | LR, COMP | ||
RTRACE | NONE | X | X | COMP | ||
RTRACELOC arg | none | X | X | X | X | COMP |
S arg |
| X | X | X | X | LR, COMP |
S2 arg |
| X | X | X | X | LR, COMP |
SASAUTOS arg | SASAUTOS | X | X | X | X | COMP, MACRO |
SASCMD | none | X | X | X | X | CONN |
SASCONTROL | SYSTEMMENU MINMAX | X | X | X | X | COMP |
SASFRSCR | #LN00003 | CONN | ||||
SASHELP arg | see SASV9.CFG | X | X | LR, COMP | ||
SASINITIALFOLDER | none | X | X | COMP | ||
SASMSTORE arg | none | X | X | X | X | MACRO |
SASSCRIPT arg | see SASV9.CFG | X | X | X | X | CONN |
SASUSER arg | see SASV9.CFG | X | X | LR, COMP | ||
SCROLLBARFLASH | NOSCROLLBAR FLASH | X | X | X | X | COMP |
SEQ arg | 8 | X | X | X | X | LR |
SERROR | SERROR | X | X | X | X | MACRO |
SET arg | none | X | X | X | X | COMP |
SETINIT | NOSETINIT | X | X | LR | ||
SGIO | NOSGIO | X | X | COMP | ||
SKIP arg |
| X | X | X | X | LR |
SLEEPWINDOW | SLEEPWINDOW | X | X | COMP | ||
SOLUTIONS | SOLUTIONS | X | X | LR | ||
SORTANOM | none | X | X | X | X | COMP |
SORTCUT |
| X | X | X | X | COMP |
SORTCUTP |
| X | X | X | X | COMP |
SORTDEV | the same location as -WORK | X | X | X | X | COMP |
SORTDUP arg | PHYSICAL | X | X | X | X | LR |
SORTEQUALS | SORTEQUALS | X | X | X | X | LR |
SORTPARM | none | X | X | X | X | COMP |
SORTPGM | BEST | X | X | X | X | COMP |
SORTSEQ arg | none | X | X | X | X | NLS |
SORTSIZE arg | 2,097,152 bytes | X | X | X | X | LR, COMP |
SOURCE | SOURCE | X | X | X | X | LR |
SOURCE2 | NOSOURCE2 | X | X | X | X | LR |
SPDEINDEXSORTSIZE | 33554432 | X | X | X | X | SPDE |
SPDEMAXTHREADS |
| X | X | SPDE | ||
SPDESORTSIZE | 33554432 | X | X | X | X | SPDE |
SPDEUTILLOC | none | X | X | SPDE | ||
SPDEWHEVAL | COST | X | X | SPDE | ||
SPLASH | SPLASH | X | X | COMP | ||
SPLASHLOC | none | X | X | COMP | ||
SPOOL | NOSPOOL | X | X | X | X | LR |
SSLCERTISS | none | X | X | X | X | COMP, CONN |
SSLCERTSERIAL | none | X | X | X | X | COMP, CONN |
SSLCERTSUBJ | none | X | X | X | X | COMP, CONN |
SSLCLIENTAUTH | NOSSLCLIENTAUTH | X | X | X | X | COMP, CONN |
SSLCRLCHECK | NOSSLCRLCHECK | X | X | X | X | COMP, CONN |
STARTLIB | STARTLIB | X | X | LR | ||
STIMEFMT | M | X | X | X | X | COMP |
STIMER | STIMER | X | X | X | X | COMP |
SUMSIZE arg |
| X | X | X | X | LR |
SYMBOLGEN | NOSYMBOLGEN | X | X | X | X | MACRO |
SYNCHIO | SYNCHIO | X | X | LR | ||
SYNTAXCHECK | SYNTAXCHECK | X | X | X | X | LR |
SYSGUIFONT arg | display setting | X | X | COMP | ||
SYSIN arg | none | X | X | COMP | ||
SYSPARM arg | none | X | X | X | X | COMP, MACRO |
SYSPRINT arg | default system printer | X | X | X | X | COMP |
SYSPRINTFONT arg | none | X | X | X | X | LR, COMP |
SYSRPUTSYNC | NO | X | X | CONN | ||
TBUFSIZE arg |
| X | X | X | X | CONN, METH |
TCPPORTFIRST arg |
| X | X | X | X | CONN, METH |
TCPPORTLAST arg |
| X | X | X | X | CONN, METH |
TERMINAL | TERMINAL | X | X | LR | ||
TERMSTMT | none | X | X | LR | ||
TEXTURELOC | none | X | X | X | X | LR |
THREADS | THREADS | X | X | X | X | LR |
TOOLDEF arg | TOP RIGHT | X | X | COMP | ||
TOOLSMENU | TOOLSMENU | X | X | LR | ||
TOPMARGIN arg | 0.000 IN | X | X | X | X | LR |
TRAINLOC | none | X | X | LR | ||
TRANTAB arg | none | X | X | X | X | NLS |
UNIVERSALPRINT | NOUNIVERSAL PRINT | X | X | LR | ||
UPRINTMENU SWITCH | NOUPRINTMENU SWITCH | X | X | COMP | ||
USER arg | none | X | X | X | X | LR, COMP |
USERICON arg | none | X | X | COMP | ||
UTILLOC arg | none | X | X | LR | ||
UUIDCOUNT arg | 100 | X | X | X | X | LR |
UUIDGENDHOST arg | none | X | X | LR | ||
V6CREATEUPDATE arg | ERROR | X | X | LR | ||
VALIDFMTNAME arg | LONG | X | X | X | X | LR |
VALIDVARNAME arg | V7 | X | X | X | X | LR |
VERBOSE | NOVERBOSE | X | X | COMP | ||
VIEWMENU | VIEWMENU | X | X | LR | ||
VNFERR | VNFERR | X | X | X | X | LR |
WEBUI | NOWEBUI | X | X | COMP | ||
WINDOWSMENU | NOWINDOWSMENU | X | X | X | X | COMP |
WORK arg | !TEMP\SAS Temporary Files | X | X | LR, COMP | ||
WORKINIT | WORKINIT | X | X | LR | ||
WORKTERM | WORKTERM | X | X | X | X | LR |
XCMD | XCMD | X | X | COMP | ||
XMIN | NOXMIN | X | X | X | X | COMP |
XSYNC | XSYNC | X | X | X | X | COMP |
XWAIT | XWAIT | X | X | X | X | COMP |
YEARCUTOFF arg | 1920 | X | X | X | X | LR |