In a Linux terminal we are used to auto-complete for commands, filenames and so on. However when using the sas-viya command-line interface (CLI), pressing the tab key would do nothing. Of course you do have the built-in help, but it is not the same experience.
Beginning with Stable 2026.02 the sas-viya CLI now supports auto-completion for plugins and commands. This article will introduce you how to enable this feature and how to use it.
What we will cover
- Where is it supported and what is supported
- How to enable it
- How to use it
Where is it supported and what is supported
According to the documentation the auto-complete is supported on:
- Bash (version 4 or later)
- Zsh
- PowerShell (version 5 or later)
These are all the platforms where the sas-viya CLI is supported.
Currently plugin names and commands with subcommands are supported. Flags and options may come at a later time. In this article we talk about the sas-viya CLI. The same functionality is also available for the sas-admin CLI.
How to enable it
Before you can enable the auto-complete, you must check the prerequisites.
For Bash:
How to check: type complete
Install if missing:
Ubuntu/Debian: sudo apt install bash-completion
RHEL/CentOS: sudo yum install bash-completion
For Zsh:
Zsh usually includes autocompletion by default. No additional installation is required.
For PowerShell:
Check version: $PSVersionTable.PSVersion
Enable script execution if required: Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope CurrentUser
Enable auto-completion for sas-viya
You need to enable auto-completion using this command: sas-viya enable-completion --true
On Linux, the command will respond with:
The following changes will be made to your shell configuration file: /home/student/.bashrc
Modifications:
- Add source line: source "/home/student/.sas/scripts/master_bash.sh"
User config backup created at: /home/student/.sas/userConfigBackup/bashrc_140240708_492423
Autocompletion enabled successfully. Please reload or reopen your shell to apply the changes.
The necessary scripts for the auto-completion feature are stored in $HOME/.sas/scripts
You can disable it using: sas-viya enable-completion --false
When you enable or disable the auto-complete the file $HOME/.sas/scripts/master_bash.sh is updated accordingly.
Please make sure to update all the plugins as well to support the auto-completion for the individual plugin. You can do it using this command: sas-viya plugins install --repo SAS all
How to use it
Start using the auto-completion feature. Here are a few examples. The text <tab> indicates pressing the tab key.
- Get a list of commands or plugins:sas-viya <tab><tab>
- Get a list of plugins starting with com: sas-viya com<tab><tab>
- Get a list of commands for the job plugin: sas-viya job <tab><tab>
- Get a list of commands starting with lis for the audit plugin: sas-viya audit lis<tab><tab>
Please note the presence or absence of a space just before the <tab> key, you will either get a full list or partial list of plugins or commands.
When you have reached the end of a command, there are no more subcommands, and press the tab key, you will get a listing of files in your current directory.
Example: sas-viya cas caslibs list <tab><tab>
Just press "q" to end this list.
I am sure this is a welcome productivity feature for using the sas-viya/sas-admin CLI commands in your daily work. You will still use the help when it comes to the options of a specific command.
Find more articles from SAS Global Enablement and Learning here.
