how to execute a Excel VBA using SAS EG 8.3

[alepage]

Hello,

I would like to execute an Excel VBA using SAS EG 8.3.  Excel is hosted on my c drive while the Excel file itself is hosted on a window server.  SAS .

Here's my sript , follow by the log file.

options noxwait noxsync;
x '"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\EXCEL.EXE" ';
/* Sleep for 5 seconds to give Excel time to come up */
data _null_;
x=sleep(5);
run;
filename cmds dde "excel|system";

data _null_;
file cmds;
/* Open the excel file test.xlsm which contains the VBA macro */
put '[open("P:\Temp\TestStephane.xlsm")]';
/* Run myVBAmacro */
put '[run("TestStephane.xlsm!genereGus")]';
run;

NOTE: Writing HTML5(EGHTML) Body file: EGHTML
28
29 options noxwait noxsync;
_______
13
ERROR 13-12: Unrecognized SAS option name NOXWAIT.

29 ! options noxwait noxsync;
_______
13
ERROR 13-12: Unrecognized SAS option name NOXSYNC.

30 x '"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\EXCEL.EXE" '
30 ! ;
31 /* Sleep for 5 seconds to give Excel time to come up */
32 data _null_;
33 x=sleep(5);
34 run;

NOTE: DATA statement used (Total process time):
real time 0.00 seconds
cpu time 0.00 seconds

35 filename cmds dde "excel|system";
ERROR: Invalid device type.
ERROR: Error in the FILENAME statement.
36
37 data _null_;
38 file cmds;
39 /* Open the excel file test.xlsm which contains the VBA macro */
2 The SAS System 09:11 Thursday, April 20, 2023

40 put '[open("P:\Temp\TestStephane.xlsm")]';
41 /* Run myVBAmacro */
42 put '[run("TestStephane.xlsm!genereGus")]';
43 run;

ERROR: Insufficient authorization to access /opt/sas94/Config/Lev1/SASApp/cmds.dat.
NOTE: The SAS System stopped processing this step because of errors.
NOTE: DATA statement used (Total process time):
real time 0.00 seconds
cpu time 0.00 seconds
***********

One more question.  How do you close the excel file ? Does this command will work ?

put '[close("P:\Temp\TestStephane.xlsm")]';

[yabwon · Accepted solution]

you are trying to to run local excel 

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\EXCEL.EXE

on remote SAS server:

/opt/sas94/Config/Lev1/SASApp/

no way it will happen...

Bart

[AlanC]

First of all, Bart is correct. Secondly, executing VBA on a server (even if the file is moved) is going to be very, very problematic. Not worth it. Hence, I suggest abandoning your VBA plans.

So, what are the alternatives? VBA should be reserved for interactive work, not file work. VBA is not recommended, regardless, and professional shops use VSTO for anything serious.

If the goal is to change something in the file, use a file manipulation technique. I use C# and GemBox but you can also use Excel interop. Python has something similar.

DDE is mis-spelled. It should be DEAD 😉 Seriously, dont ever use it.

[Sajid01]

Hello @alepage 
In order to run excel vba using SAS EG is that SAS Should be installed on a Windows machine and excel should be installed on the same machine  and users have the necessary permissions.
From the log it appears that SAS is running on a Linux/Unix server. So what you want is not a feasible preposition.