EGuide to EMail graphics in RTF

[Doc_Duke]

Hi,

I've run across a challenge with RTF output that contains in EGuide 4.1 (with SAS 9.1.3).

I use EGuide to create a task that contains graphics and have the output set to RTF; the graphics option is the default ActiveX. The results of the task (the RTF) are sent out by e-mail.

When I look at the e-mail, everything looks great. When I forward the e-mail, the graphics are gone.

I've tried replacing ActiveX with GIF and the graphics then show to the others, but they are poor quality. I'd prefer not to lose the ability to hover the cursor over parts of the graph to see the meta-data.

What's the solution? I searched the support.sas.com and didn't find anything under EGuide.

Thanks,
Doc

[Doc_Duke]

Bill, in Tech Support, had the answer.

"In order to display an ActiveX SAS/Graph image the end user will need
to download the ActiveX graph control just once.

You can point the user to the path using the same path
your EG session is pointing too...Tools > Options > Results > Graph.",

so I included the web link in my e-mail message from EGuide.

[deleted_user]

Please elaborate.

I/we would like to make use of ActiveX instead of .gif as well.

[Doc_Duke]

OK. I'll try.

I set tools --> options --> results --> results general to RTF, and
tools --> options --> results --> graph to ActiveX (that the default).

When I run a task with graphics, it looks great on the screen and in Word when I e-mail it to myself. But when I e-mail it to my colleagues/clients, the graphs are gone.

Bill said to go to tools --> options --> results --> graph, and send the clients the SAS ActiveX Control that is there. So I added this to my outgoing e-mail message (matches my version of SAS host):

"To view the graphics, you need to execute this ActiveX control (just once per PC).
http://www2.sas.com/codebase/graph/v91/sasgraph.exe"

Now they can see and print the graphics. This is a PC-only solution; no Mac's. One nagging piece is that I don't know how to make the graphics "static" so I can send them to journals and slide-shows.

Doc

[deleted_user]

Boy I wish we could show screen shots in this forum.

Bill said to go to tools --> options --> results --> graph, and send the clients the SAS ActiveX Control that is there. So I added this to my outgoing e-mail message (matches my version of SAS host):

I don't understand this. How do you send what? Added what?
All I see at that tab is Graph Format: SAS ActiveX image (SAS V9); options with some check boxes, and "Default Graph Dimensions" So I'm still lost.

I'm on SAS Enterprise Guide 4.1 (4.1.0.516), if that is any help as to why I'm lost.

[Cynthia_sas]

Hi:
If you want to make a "static" image that has the look of ActiveX graphs, but without the interactivity, try the ACTXIMG driver.

cynthia

[Doc_Duke]

Cynthia, Thanks. I hadn't tried the "ActiveX image" choice as the help said it was only available for the "SAS System for Windows server", which I took to mean the SAS System running on a Windows Server operating system (note the difference capitalization makes!).

Chuck, are you asking about how to set up for e-mail from EGuide 4.1? It's set up in tools --> options --> E-Mail Settings (the last choice). For me, the hardest part was finding the name of my SMTP gateway; I had to call IT support for that. F1 takes you to more help. After saving that, right-click on the object to send and select "Send to" --> "Email recipient as step in project" and fill in the various menus.

Doc

[deleted_user]

No.

When I look at tools --> options --> results --> graph, I don't find an ActiveX control. So how can you send it to the clients? I'm assuming the clients are the recipients of the email.

[Doc_Duke]

Chuck,

Under "Graph Format", there is a drop-down arrow that includes choice for "ActiveX". Once you select ActiveX, the screen below dynamically changes to show the options for ActiveX under the SAS 8 or SAS 9 server, "Use these URLs for the codebase" are the executables to install the ActiveX control on the recipients computer.

If you are still not seeing it, send me an e-mail and I'll send back my screenshots.

Doc
lawrence.muhlbaier@duke.edu

[deleted_user]

Aha !!! I found my problem !!

"ActiveX" is not the same as "ActiveX image (SAS V9)" which is what I had been choosing.

This will call for a few days worth of experimentation, when I can find the time, after I have applied all the updates to my local PC SAS and SAS EG that I am supposed to do, and still haven't found the time for.

Thanks DOC 🙂