topic Re: Auto-scroll to bottom of log in SAS Enterprise Guide in SAS Enterprise Guide

Auto-scroll to bottom of log in SAS Enterprise Guide

JRoman — Wed, 31 Mar 2021 17:19:04 GMT

Hi all,

In EG, is it possible to have the log default to being scrolled to the bottom instead of the top after a program finishes running?

Reason I ask is because usually I'm most interested in seeing what it says at the bottom of the log rather than the top (e.g., to see the record count in the last table created, or the terminal error message if an ABORT CANCEL was hit, etc.).

I know it's "not that hard" to get to the bottom of the log manually by:

using the scroll bar, or
clicking in the log pane and pressing Ctrl + End, or
pressing F6 and then Ctrl + End.

However, it does become somewhat tedious to have to do that over and over again after each code run.

I'm hoping there is already an option somewhere for this, but if not, I can submit a SASware Ballot for it.

Following are screenshots showing the default behavior and the desired behavior.

The default behavior

The desired behavior

Thanks,

Jake

Re: Auto-scroll to bottom of log in SAS Enterprise Guide

SASKiwi — Wed, 31 Mar 2021 20:09:26 GMT

AFAIK there isn't such an option. Looks like the SASware ballot is the way to go.

Re: Auto-scroll to bottom of log in SAS Enterprise Guide

JRoman — Thu, 01 Apr 2021 05:06:31 GMT

Thanks, @SASKiwi.

I created a SASware ballot for this at https://communities.sas.com/t5/SASware-Ballot-Ideas/Enterprise-Guide-option-to-auto-scroll-to-bottom-of-log-instead/idi-p/730564.

In the meantime, in case anyone finds it useful, here is a simple AutoHotkey script to scroll to the bottom of the log. It uses ~~Ctrl + E~~ Ctrl + Q as the hotkey (which I don't think conflicts with any built-in EG hotkeys). It assumes the Program Editor has the focus when the hotkey is pressed, and returns focus to the Program Editor at the end.

; Ctrl + Q = Scroll to end of Log in SAS EG.  Assumes Program Editor has the focus, and returns focus to Program Editor at end.
#IfWinActive ahk_exe SEGuide.exe
	^q::
		Sleep, 50
		Send {F6}                       ; Switch focus from Program Editor to Log
		Sleep, 50
		Send, {CtrlDown}{End}{CtrlUp}   ; Go to end of Log
		Sleep, 50
		Send, {ShiftDown}{F6}{ShiftUp}  ; Switch focus back to Program Editor
		Sleep, 50
	Return
#IfWinActive

Re: Auto-scroll to bottom of log in SAS Enterprise Guide

SASKiwi — Thu, 01 Apr 2021 02:25:36 GMT

@JRoman - Nice, however Cntrl E steps you through the SAS log summary items.

Re: Auto-scroll to bottom of log in SAS Enterprise Guide

JRoman — Thu, 01 Apr 2021 05:23:44 GMT

Oops, thanks again, @SASKiwi! I hadn't been aware of that one. Good to know! I've edited my above post to use Ctrl+Q instead.

(It looks like Ctrl+E is missing from SAS's documentation page for EG's shortcuts at https://documentation.sas.com/?activeCdc=egdoccdc&cdcId=egcdc&cdcVersion=8.3&docsetId=ega11y&docsetTarget=ega11y.htm&locale=en#n1trj0zraqsv83n17jwpj3h2ztzx, although oddly enough that page does have Shift+Ctrl+E for stepping to the previous summary item.)

Re: Auto-scroll to bottom of log in SAS Enterprise Guide

SASKiwi — Fri, 02 Apr 2021 01:11:32 GMT

@JRoman - Yes, I spotted that documentation error too. Ctrl E is included in the EG Short cut keys list window though, at least in EG 8.2.

Re: Auto-scroll to bottom of log in SAS Enterprise Guide

JRoman — Fri, 02 Apr 2021 01:27:04 GMT

It's also present in that list window in EG 8.3 Update 2. I really should have looked there in the first place before assuming Ctrl+E was available... 😉