topic Re: Recently Used Files List in SAS Programming

Recently Used Files List

BTAinRVA — Thu, 26 Jan 2017 13:52:12 GMT

Several times I've changed my preferences so that the Recently Used Files List is set to the maximum of 30. But it doesn't seem to carry over from one session to the next. Anyone have an idea why?

Thanks,

Brian

Re: Recently Used Files List

Tom — Thu, 26 Jan 2017 13:58:15 GMT

Can you be more specific about what user interface you are talking about? SAS Display Manager? Enterprise Guide? SAS/Studio? Other?

If you are using Display Manager then check and make sure where your SASUSER library is pointing.

If you have launched multiple SAS sessions at the same time then SAS might have had to point it to WORK and so it will throw away the changes.

Re: Recently Used Files List

ballardw — Thu, 26 Jan 2017 15:08:56 GMT

If you are using the display manager in Base SAS you want to make sure that on the General tab in the Preferences section the box for "Save settings on exit" is checked.

Re: Recently Used Files List

BTAinRVA — Thu, 26 Jan 2017 17:11:23 GMT

Tom,

Thanks for the reply! I'm just using the regular SAS interface version 9.4. I go to Tools -> Options -> Preferences to change the Recently Used Files to 30. I have only one SAS session running. During that session any programs I open show up near the bottom of the File menu. But when I close that session and start a new one, no programs are on the File menu.

Re: Recently Used Files List

Tom — Thu, 26 Jan 2017 17:38:47 GMT

I am pretty sure that list of files is saved in your SASUSER.PROFILE catalog.

Check the top of your SAS log and make sure that SAS has not given you an error message about getting write access to your SASUSER.PROFILE catalog.

NOTE: Unable to open SASUSER.PROFILE. WORK.PROFILE will be opened instead.
NOTE: All profile changes will be lost at the end of the session.
NOTE: Unable to open SASUSER.PROFILE. WORK.PROFILE will be opened instead.
NOTE: All profile changes will be lost at the end of the session.

Possible causes

More than one SAS session running.
- If your SASUSER libref is on a network path then perhaps the sessions are on different machines
RSASUSER option set at startup. Launch a session using -NORSASUSER option and see if it remembers files used in that session.
Corrupted SASUSER.PROFILE catalog file. If so then delete (or just rename it) and SAS will make a new one.
Perhaps you don't have permission from the operating system to write to the SASUSER.PROFILE catalog physical file.

If you really cannot get it work then open a ticket with SAS support. http://support.sas.com

Re: Recently Used Files List

BTAinRVA — Thu, 26 Jan 2017 17:44:41 GMT

Ballardw,

Indeed that box wasn't checked. So I checked it, closed my session, reopened SAS and the changes weren't saved. No files are showing up in the File menu and when I open the Preferences window the Save Settings on Exit box is unchecked. :?

Re: Recently Used Files List

ballardw — Thu, 26 Jan 2017 18:17:33 GMT

Did reset the recently used file list settings as well and then click on the "OK" button at the bottom of the tab?

Re: Recently Used Files List

BTAinRVA — Thu, 26 Jan 2017 18:33:06 GMT

Yes, I've changed both preferences and clicked the OK button. I close and re-open SAS and the revert to the default (4 recently used files and unchecked Save Changes on Exit).

Re: Recently Used Files List

ballardw — Thu, 26 Jan 2017 21:24:42 GMT

This sounds a lot like you aren't actually writing any preference to the profile.

Try running:

Proc options group=envfiles;

run;

And see if you find "NORSASUSER" or "RSASUSER". If you see RSASUSER that is setting the profile to read only.

If that is the case then you will need to find the configuration file and edit the option text to set it to NORSASUSER. This option may only be changed at start up so you would need to shut down SAS, edit the config file and save, restart SAS and set the options. Then do the shut down and restart to see if the options "took".