topic Re: Can no longer double-click to open data sets in SAS Programming

Can no longer double-click to open data sets

kpberger — Wed, 10 Jun 2020 00:04:36 GMT

Hi all,

I have always included a formatting step when processing my data sets. Something to the effect of:

libname library "C:\Users\me\Desktop";

proc format library=library;
value xf 1="First" 2="Second" 3="Third";
run;
data want; set have;
format x xf.;
run;

And then I save the data set into the same "library" directory. A "formats" folder appears in this directory and has the xf format in it. I've then always been able to open my data sets by double clicking on them and they open just fine. Great.

Then, today, I must have done something because this no longer works. I can't open my data sets via double click. I can still open them with SAS code by specifying:

libname library "C:\Users\me\Desktop";
data want; set library.have; run;

What have I done? How can I turn back time to the glorious days of mindless double-clicking? Much appreciated.

Re: SAS newly requires "options fmtsearch=(library);" when opening data sets

JackHamilton — Tue, 09 Jun 2020 22:58:10 GMT

The default value for fmtsearch should be (WORK LIBRARY). What does "proc options option=fmtsearch; run;" show if you run it at the beginning of a session before your OPTIONS FMTSEARCH?

Perhaps someone has added their own FMTSEARCH option in a configuration file somewhere, and omitted the LIBRARY catalog. It's safest to use the INSERT or APPEND option when setting FMTSEARCH.

Re: SAS newly requires "options fmtsearch=(library);" when opening data sets

kpberger — Tue, 09 Jun 2020 23:13:08 GMT

It returns "FMTSEARCH=(WORK LIBRARY)".

I had to edit the original post. I can in fact open the data sets with SAS code as normal; I just can't double-click to open them.

Re: Can no longer double-click to open data sets

ballardw — Wed, 10 Jun 2020 00:42:05 GMT

Which environment are you working in? Display manager, SAS University Edition, Enterprise Guide, connected to a server where an admin may have changed a setting?

Click on where? In a SAS file menu? on the actual desktop?

Have you tried restarting SAS and see if this happens in a new session?

Re: Can no longer double-click to open data sets

smantha — Wed, 10 Jun 2020 03:13:22 GMT

1. Is there an error message you get when you open. Options nofmterr; will allow you to open SAS datasets with no formatting. You can follow the other options for format search as suggested by the community.

2. Are you trying to open the sas dataset from the physical location(i.e. the folder) itself by double clicking and it is not opening then there is a display manager setting that is messed up. I do not remember this option off the top of my head.

Re: Can no longer double-click to open data sets

Ksharp — Wed, 10 Jun 2020 12:14:42 GMT

Did you try
options nofmterr ;

Re: Can no longer double-click to open data sets

kpberger — Wed, 10 Jun 2020 18:51:04 GMT

I'm working in SAS 9.4. It's on my work computer that no one else has access to. I am trying to double click from Windows Explorer, and I have restarted SAS many times. Thanks!

Re: Can no longer double-click to open data sets

kpberger — Wed, 10 Jun 2020 18:56:20 GMT

I get this error message: "ERROR: Unable to open the table TMP1.have. TMP1.have cannot be opened. Do you want to select a different table to open?" When I press cancel the log then list an error for each of the formats I have previously assigned to variables in the data set: "ERROR: Format xf not found or couldn't be loaded for variable x." I can use the option nofmterr, but it only lasts as long as the current session and the data set doesn't load in with the formats.

I am trying to double-click from Windows Explorer.

Re: Can no longer double-click to open data sets

kpberger — Wed, 10 Jun 2020 18:59:30 GMT

Yes, but it doesn't fix the problem really. After opening SAS and setting nofmterr I can double-click the data set from Windows Explorer and it will load in the current SAS session, but once I close SAS I still can not open the data-set by double clicking. Also, when the data set does open it opens without the formats.

Re: Can no longer double-click to open data sets

smantha — Wed, 10 Jun 2020 19:02:45 GMT

Can you set the options nofmterr in SAS sas config file and try. How is the behavior when you double click on it ? Is there a flash like it is trying to open and then nothing happens?

Re: Can no longer double-click to open data sets

kpberger — Wed, 10 Jun 2020 19:40:26 GMT

So unfortunately I can't change the config file: it's on my work computer and I don't have administrator access to change it. But if I specify nofmterr in an individual SAS session it allows me to open the file, but it still doesn't load with the formats. And it only lasts as long as the SAS session. The formats used to load in fine. Maybe it's something about SAS no longer recognizing the working directory as the "library" directory?

Re: Can no longer double-click to open data sets

smantha — Wed, 10 Jun 2020 19:48:27 GMT

When you right click on SAS Icon on your laptop you can see where sas is launched from and the corresponding config file can be changed to any file you want. Can you try doing that?

Re: Can no longer double-click to open data sets

kpberger — Wed, 10 Jun 2020 19:53:45 GMT

Sorry, how do you change what configuration file SAS references? I see where SAS is launched from, but I don't understand how that connects to specifying a new configuration file. Thanks!

Re: Can no longer double-click to open data sets

smantha — Wed, 10 Jun 2020 20:14:33 GMT

"C:\Program Files\SASHome\SASFoundation\9.4\sas.exe" -CONFIG "C:\Program Files\SASHome\SASFoundation\9.4\nls\en\sasv9.cfg"

Re: Can no longer double-click to open data sets

kpberger — Wed, 10 Jun 2020 20:32:11 GMT

I see, thank you for clarifying. Unfortunately, I don't have administrator privileges to change that either. I can file a ticket with IT, but I'm not sure this will solve my whole problem. I will be able to open the files via double-click, but they still won't load in with the formats. That is what happens when I specify nofmterr in a SAS session. For some reason SAS doesn't recognize anymore that the "formats" folder it needs is in the same folder as the data set.

Re: Can no longer double-click to open data sets

smantha — Wed, 10 Jun 2020 20:33:11 GMT

In the image above as you can see I right clicked on the SAS shortcut icon and selected properties I end up on the other popup window and the field highlighted in blue will have the SAS.exe command and config parameter. You can modify the argument after config to suit your needs. You can create a custom config file and provide it as a parameter to -config

Re: Can no longer double-click to open data sets

smantha — Wed, 10 Jun 2020 21:04:30 GMT

If you get around to modifying config file then you can use fmtsearch as an option in config file.

Re: Can no longer double-click to open data sets

JackHamilton — Wed, 10 Jun 2020 21:25:50 GMT

You also put fmtsearch in your autoexec.sas.

You can set Windows environment variables to specify either an autoexec.sas or sasv9,cfg file without needing to write into a protected directory. You probably have access to user environment variables even if you don't have admin rights.

See:

https://www.mwsug.org/proceedings/2018/SP/MWSUG-2018-SP-100.pdf

https://documentation.sas.com/?docsetId=hostwin&docsetTarget=p0bmj7wjme32ayn1h4wim7trkhp6.htm&docsetVersion=9.4&locale=en#p1f8pahglb6jz0n18i9bd3xxl84r

The logic SAS uses to find configuration files in Windows is complicated, and I find setting SAS_USER_CONFIG and SAS_OPTIONS to be the easiest to understand.

Re: Can no longer double-click to open data sets

kpberger — Wed, 10 Jun 2020 21:31:34 GMT

Thank you for the resources. How would adding fmtsearch to the autoexec file help though? It's already set to search in work and then library for formats.