Enterprise Guide 7.1 Project to use Relative File Paths for Program

[Jongen87]

I am trying to create a new project where we want the individual SAS programs to be in git. I am using the steps as described in this document:

Paper 179-2014

Check It Out! Versioning in SAS® Enterprise Guide®

(http://support.sas.com/resources/papers/proceedings14/SAS179-2014.pdf)

First, I changed the project setting to check the "Use paths relative to the project for programs and importable files", next, I select a program and clicking on Properties > "Save As..." so that it is no longer embedded. However, the file path it shows is still including my hard drive (C:\Users\xxxx\etcetera). I cannot change this field myself i have to click the Browse button.

What am i missing here?

[CaseySmith]

Hi @Jongen87,

As you noted, EG currently displays the full path (ex. in the File path field in the Properties dialog for the program), even when you have the File->Project Properties->File References->Use paths relative to the project for programs and importable files option checked, but rest assured that it is stored as a relative path.  So, it should still work as you expect.

You can confirm by moving your .egp and referenced .sas file to a new location...  as long as their relative locations are preserved, your EG project will still be able to locate the referenced .sas file (since it is storing and looking in the relative location rather than absolute path).

I do think it would be more appropriate for that field to display just the relative path when the "use relative paths" option is on, to avoid the confusion.

Casey

[Jongen87]

Hi Casey,

Thanks for the quick response.

I performed the test you specified and then, when i try to open the .sas program i get an error message saying that it cannot find the .sas file specified at the old directory (C:\....\.sas). I doublechecked the project properties, the relative file path option is checked. And relinking it, saving it and then trying to open it at the old location also does not work. So i think it is somehow still storing the absolute path.

Could there be any other options/settings that override this checkbox?

Geert

[CaseySmith]

Hi Geert,

Are you certain that you maintained the relative location between the .egp and the .sas files when you moved them?

For example, if you start with something like this:

\Desktop\project.egp

\Desktop\programs\program.sas

And project.egp has the "use relative paths" option on and the project has a reference to the program.sas.

If you then move both files to:

\Desktop\temp\project.egp

\Desktop\temp\programs\program.sas

If you open the moved project and then double-click the referenced program.sas inside of it, EG should still find it in the new location, since it is still in the same location relative to the project file (ex. .\programs\program.sas).

This works for me using EG 7.15. I can't think of anything that would override that setting.

Casey

[Jongen87 · Accepted solution]

Hi,

I did another test with a new file and now it works. I think that SAS stores some information in the project file and changing the project properties after it has already been saved once without the checkbox prevents it from switching to the relative mode.

So i guess we need to recreate all the projects manually as modifying it does not work.

Thanks for the answers!

Geert