topic Automatically open output when running query in project in SAS EG 8 in SAS Enterprise Guide

Automatically open output when running query in project in SAS EG 8

tdswart — Mon, 17 May 2021 14:56:19 GMT

Hello,

Is there a way to make SAS EG 8 open the output of queries automatically as was done in SAS EG 7 when running projects?

When I have a project with a query in it, and I press 'Run project', the resulting table would be opened automatically in SAS EG 7 in a new tab and the focus would be shifted to that tab automatically as well. When I do the same in SAS EG 8 the result of my query is not shown when running the project.

I thought there would be an option like in SAS EG 7 to disable or enable this. This option was found under Tools -> Options - > Results -> Results General "Automatically open data when generated" in SAS EG 7 but I can not find it in SAS EG 8. When going through the documentation on SAS EG 8 and its' new features I was also unable to find anything...

Is there an option like this in SAS EG 8 and am I unable to find it? Or is it simply gone?

Thank you in advance for your help.

Re: Automatically open output when running query in project in SAS EG 8

PhilC — Mon, 17 May 2021 17:00:27 GMT

try this

Re: Automatically open output when running query in project in SAS EG 8

tdswart — Tue, 18 May 2021 07:30:44 GMT

Hello PhilC,

Thank you for your reply, but unfortunately this did not solve my issue. Even when I have the 'Output data' as default tab to display the resulting dataset from my query is not displayed in a new tab after I click 'Run project'. The dataset is visible in my project but I want SAS EG to open the resulting dataset automatically in a new tab and shift the focus to that tab as was done in SAS EG 7. For more context, here is an older question in which a user wanted to achieve the opposite of what I want in SAS EG 7:

https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Enterprise-Guide/Output-Automatically-Opens/td-p/435900

If I am unclear please let me know.

Re: Automatically open output when running query in project in SAS EG 8

SASKiwi — Wed, 19 May 2021 04:43:45 GMT

SAS EG 8 creates an Output Data tab for each project or program run and creates a click-to-open icon with the dataset name for each dataset created. AFAIK there is no option to automatically open any of these. Most SAS projects / programs will product multiple datasets and the Output Data tab only allows you to open one dataset at a time. If there was an automatic "Open Dataset" option, which one should it open?

Re: Automatically open output when running query in project in SAS EG 8

tdswart — Wed, 19 May 2021 07:38:27 GMT

Hey there SASKiwi,

In SAS EG 7 the last output object would be automatically opened when running a project. If I would have a project with 2 queries and a 1-way frequencies task as the last step in there it would open the results from the 1-way frequencies task automatically and shift focus to the tab. You would also automatically see the results in the same way when selecting a single task in a project and right clicking on it to run the task.

You were able to change this behaviour under Tools > Options > Results > Results General > 'Automatically open data or results when generated'. When this was toggled off you would see no output, much like SAS EG 8 when either running the whole project or running a task separately.

I would like to see the same behaviour in SAS EG 8: when I run a project or a single task by right clicking on it to run it I want to see the last output object generated automatically.

Re: Automatically open output when running query in project in SAS EG 8

jennifert — Wed, 19 May 2021 14:48:14 GMT

Hi @tdswart ,

In SAS Enterprise Guide 8.2, there is the When output tables are generated, automatically open option under Data > Performance that might be what you are looking for. You can choose to automatically open the last table, the first table, or no table the first time that output tables are generated.

The option is documented here: Setting Data Performance Options.

I hope that helps!

thanks,

Jennifer

Re: Automatically open output when running query in project in SAS EG 8

tdswart — Wed, 19 May 2021 15:01:31 GMT

Hey there jennifert,

Thanks for your response, but this has not resolved my issue. This option was already enabled in my SAS EG 8.3 instance. It seems that this option only opens your output data automatically when you open the task in the project and run it. When I right click the task in the process flow of my project and click run no tab is opened. There is also no tab opened when I simply run the whole project.

In SAS EG 7, no matter how you ran the task, the output table of the last task would be opened automatically in a new tab and the focus would be shifted there. I want to replicate this behaviour in SAS EG 8.3.

Re: Automatically open output when running query in project in SAS EG 8

jennifert — Wed, 19 May 2021 15:16:51 GMT

Hi @tdswart ,

Yes, I think this option applies only the first time that the output tables are generated. I'll check with the development team to see if the behavior that you are looking for is available and post back here if I learn anything that could help.

thanks,

Jennifer

Re: Automatically open output when running query in project in SAS EG 8

RPYee — Fri, 08 Oct 2021 17:34:38 GMT

Have you had any luck solving this issue? I just upgraded from SAS EG 7 to 8. This is EXTREMELY frustrating! I have nothing to indicate that the program has finished running except that all the colors are gone from the icons. With sometimes 20+ processes inside one program, this is really a pain point. I want the final output to open up automatically after all of the program has run...

Re: Automatically open output when running query in project in SAS EG 8

SASKiwi — Fri, 08 Oct 2021 22:32:12 GMT

@RPYee - Did you read @jennifert 's response? There is an option for automatically opening the last created dataset in the link she provided.

Also open the EG process summary window and see what happens when you run your project. It will automatically show a green traffic light if it runs without error. It also shows the number of SAS notes, warnings and errors in your log.

Re: Automatically open output when running query in project in SAS EG 8

bradmeadows — Fri, 17 Dec 2021 16:06:51 GMT

Is there really no way to do this now? I have been trying to figure this out for awhile.

I need EG to do "something" when it has completed the process. I need a screen change of some sort just like it did in prior versions.

Re: Automatically open output when running query in project in SAS EG 8

SASKiwi — Fri, 17 Dec 2021 23:32:40 GMT

@bradmeadows - Open the Submission Status window in EG 8 (on the EG menu select View - Submission Status). This provides a list of all processes / programs that are running or have run in the current session. Does this meet your needs?

Re: Automatically open output when running query in project in SAS EG 8

creid — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 01:16:52 GMT

Was there ever any update on this? I have multiple novice users that find it frustrating that in the move from v7 to v8 this option is no longer available in the same way it was for v7 and none of the other solutions listed here are acceptable to my users.

Re: Automatically open output when running query in project in SAS EG 8

carran084 — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 09:15:52 GMT

Hello everyone! About 6 months ago we migrated from SAS 7 to SAS 8, this behavior of SAS 8 gives us problems, we don't know when a process ends. We have complex processes that take time to execute and we have had to repeat them simply because we do not know if one is finished or not. Please SAS do something to fix it.

Re: Automatically open output when running query in project in SAS EG 8

SASKiwi — Sun, 10 Sep 2023 21:08:46 GMT

If getting better control and reliability over running regular EG processes is important to you, then I suggest you consider exporting these processes to SAS code and run them from a SAS server-based scheduler like is available with SAS Management Console. Without knowing how you are using EG in more detail, it is hard to offer more helpful advice.

Re: Automatically open output when running query in project in SAS EG 8

cbrotz — Thu, 09 Nov 2023 16:00:11 GMT

This solution is not practical for simple queries where just want to know if there are results. Overall, SAS EG 8.3 is not an improvement over the old version. Pretty disappointed overall.

Re: Automatically open output when running query in project in SAS EG 8

ballardw — Thu, 09 Nov 2023 18:31:42 GMT

@creid wrote:

Was there ever any update on this? I have multiple novice users that find it frustrating that in the move from v7 to v8 this option is no longer available in the same way it was for v7 and none of the other solutions listed here are acceptable to my users.

I might suggest starting your own thread and reference this one.

Then describe exactly why the solutions mentioned are not acceptable to your users.

As an aside, I have found it somewhat entertaining that when EG was released that we had a number of requests on how to disable this automatic opening of output. Different strokes for different folks I guess.

Re: Automatically open output when running query in project in SAS EG 8

SASKiwi — Thu, 09 Nov 2023 19:05:41 GMT

@cbrotz - Personally I like the EG 8 interface. The tabbed programs layout is way more useful than the limited EG 7 one. Feel free to raise suggestions for improvement in SAS Product Suggestions.

Re: Automatically open output when running query in project in SAS EG 8

BillSawyer — Tue, 19 Dec 2023 21:48:05 GMT

I reported this as a problem but unfortunately no fix/change was made.

Several folks on this thread mainly wanted a way of knowing the job finished and not necessarily needed the last dataset/result to open.

So, in those cases, using View > Submission Status is an easy way to confirm your job finished.

Alternatively, you could add a program at the end of your process flow that generates a dataset then right-click the dataset to then select Share > Email as a step in project.

So that when the process flow finishes an email will be sent to you.

The only set up (other than adding the program to your process flow) is in Tools > Options > Administration.

See sample code to generate dummy dataset, and images below.

Regards,

Bill

data last_step;
status="EG Job xyz is Finished";
run;