No Output Tab Generated

[nanasarkadoo]

Hi!

I am learning SAS through a few different tutorials but for some reason none of the data I have inputted is generating anything into my Output tab. I've tried multiple entries but it remains empty.

Any suggestions? Screen capture is attached. I am using the regular SAS, not enterprise.

Thanks!

[ballardw]

The OUTPUT tab you show is for the LISTING destination and will only have anything if the ODS LISTING destination is open. The OUTPUT tab is also very plain text, as in designed for line printers when green-bar 132 column print output was the norm.

If you want to send results to the OUTPUT tab place this before the steps that create output:

ODS LISTING;

When you no longer want output to go there use:

Ods listing close;

Be aware that the number of columns and rows per "page" are limited in the Output window and may yield ugly results.

[Reeza]

Your output goes to the RESULTS window because you have HTML set as your default destination. You can change that in the preferences window if you want it to go to the "OUTPUT" window as well, which is really the LISTING output. That's a bit confusing for sure, but Base is an outdated interface now unfortunately. If you expand the RESULTS folders on the far left you'll also get links to your outputs/results in different forms if you have multiple destinations selected.

[nanasarkadoo]

Thank you so much, Reeza!

Do you by chance know how to change this setting?

[Reeza · Accepted solution]

Tools>Options>Preferences

Maybe this is helpful:
https://sphweb.bumc.bu.edu/otlt/mph-modules/bs/sas/sas-intro/sas-intro_print.html

FYI- if you're using a tutorial that's using the OUTPUT and not the RESUTLS/HTML window it's out of date and I'd highly recommend finding a new one. The listing destination hasn't been the default one for more than a decade now.

[nanasarkadoo]

Thanks Reeza! The link helped and I'll make sure to take your advice and watch more recent tutorials. Appreciate it!

[Reeza]

https://www.sas.com/en_ca/training/offers/free-training.html

Scroll down to the section titled Try a Free E-Learning Course to find the free SAS training as well as the course on Coursera.

[nanasarkadoo]

Thanks! I started the online SAS one on the website this morning but wanted to do basics on the older software I have first, since the e learning course is taught in Enterprise. I'll check Coursera. 

Thanks again

[Reeza]

Are you sure? I thought there was an option to do it in Studio which is probably the best option today as that's the newest platform and what has all the best features for programmers.

[nanasarkadoo]

It has both Studio and Enterprise, I meant to say. However my work computer only has SAS 9.4 so I figured it would be best to learn from a tutorial that looks/is set up the same way. Do you recommend otherwise? This is my first day learning so I'm open to any guidance or tips you have!

Thanks.

[Reeza]

I personally prefer Studio via On Demand for learning because it's fully cloud based. If you want to play around with work data sets though that doesn't work. If you want to practice at work/home when you used to have only a desktop (probably no longer an issue after COVID) then it's nice to have cloud/remote access. On Demand also has access to all the modules (STAT/GRAPH/ETS/OR), whereas your work license is probably more restrictive and likely an older version as well. On Demand is using 9.4M6 I believe with M7 also currently released.

[FreelanceReinh]

Hi @nanasarkadoo,

---

@nanasarkadoo wrote:

However my work computer only has SAS 9.4 so I figured it would be best to learn from a tutorial that looks/is set up the same way.

---

I agree. I'd even describe your classic, time-tested "Display Manager" interface as a luxury environment for learning SAS programming. Data, programs, logs, outputs, help files and the SAS software itself -- they're all on your local computer, so you are in control and everything works as fast as possible.

In addition to the free courses that have been mentioned, the excellent SAS documentation contains lots of helpful code examples and explanations (as do many posts of the experts on here). I recommend using the built-in HTML help files from the Help menu or, better still, the SAS Documentation Viewer (sasdocviewer.exe), which is part of a standard SAS 9.4 installation (under Windows at least). They are much faster to access and navigate than the online documentation and the content corresponds exactly to your SAS release.

Regarding output generation, I favor the classic listing output (in the Output window) over HTML output most of the time. It's simpler, faster, more compact and often more suitable. For example, in HTML output leading blanks and double blanks in character variables are not displayed and the default proportional font makes it harder to assess character positions or lengths of strings. My default setting in Tools → Options → Preferences... → Results is therefore "Create listing" while the "Create HTML" checkbox is deselected.

Enjoy learning and the SAS Support Communities!

[ballardw]

---

@FreelanceReinh wrote:

 They are much faster to access and navigate than the online documentation and the content corresponds exactly to your SAS release.

A very import consideration especially with graphics related output. All of the later releases have significant changes, mostly additions, to graphic capabilities. Finding "options" in documentation that don't exist your install is just plain frustrating.