topic setting VALIDVARNAME as the default for the duration of the session in SAS Programming

setting VALIDVARNAME as the default for the duration of the session

SAShole — Mon, 08 Jun 2020 18:04:55 GMT

I'm running a program interactively and would like the

option validvarname=v7

to be the default for the duration of the session. Currently after every datastep it gets reset back to the default validvarname=ANY this is problematic because i'm now forced to put the option before every proc import/export.

System info: SAS Studio version 3.7 running SAS 9.4 on SAS Grid/Unix server.

Re: setting VALIDVARNAME as the default for the duration of the session

Doc_Duke — Mon, 08 Jun 2020 18:10:05 GMT

Try putting it in the autoexec.sas file. I'm not currently using SAS Studio, so it's more a guess based on other SAS products.

Re: setting VALIDVARNAME as the default for the duration of the session

Kurt_Bremser — Mon, 08 Jun 2020 18:24:32 GMT

Put the option into "code sent before every execution".

Re: setting VALIDVARNAME as the default for the duration of the session

SAShole — Mon, 08 Jun 2020 18:39:01 GMT

Can you say a little more about this? I'm not sure I follow.

Re: setting VALIDVARNAME as the default for the duration of the session

SAShole — Mon, 08 Jun 2020 18:41:06 GMT

I think that solution would normally work however, I'm in an enterprise setting and I don't think I'm able to modify that file

Re: setting VALIDVARNAME as the default for the duration of the session

Kurt_Bremser — Mon, 08 Jun 2020 19:01:06 GMT

It is in the Options menu of SAS Studio or Enterprise Guide. As these are personalized, you can change them for your account.

Re: setting VALIDVARNAME as the default for the duration of the session

SAShole — Mon, 08 Jun 2020 19:16:43 GMT

I was able to add it to the autoexec.sas file in SAS Studio. The autoexec.sas file says it will run these statements when the application starts however when I run:
proc options option=validvarname; run;
it is still saying the VALIDVARNAME=ANY

Re: setting VALIDVARNAME as the default for the duration of the session

SAShole — Mon, 08 Jun 2020 19:58:04 GMT

This was the solution i was looking for.
Just adding some more details in case others come across the same issue.
In SAS studio click the icon in the top right corner click the 'more system options' button, it has 3 horizontal bars and 3 dots.
Click Preferences
Under General
Change Character Policy: SAS variable name policy to V7
Click Save