QUEST Procedure Reference

Multi-User Mode

When you invoke PROC QUEST in Multi-User mode (S2KMODE=M), SAS displays the following messages:

QUEST Ready    
S2K3212/00 - SYSTEM 2000 INTERACTIVE INTERFACE READY -

Submit the USER statement to establish your password and start your SYSTEM 2000 session. For example, the following statements attach the database EMPLOYEE to your session:

   user,demo;
   data base name is employee;

The SYSTEM 2000 interface to SAS accesses the database and displays any output in the Output window or in the procedure output file (if you are executing in interactive line mode).

Temporary Output File

PROC QUEST uses a disk file to temporarily store output. In CMS, the file is allocated automatically. In TSO, you need to allocate a file with at least 10 tracks of 3350 disk space (or the equivalent) and assign the ddname S2KOUTP. If the file is not allocated, the warning message -895- appears, and any response from SYSTEM 2000 that exceeds 4096 bytes is truncated.

Usually, 10 tracks of 3350 disk space is enough for typical use. If some output cannot be stored in S2KOUTP, message -897- appears, and you will lose some output. Re-allocate the file with more space later.

Command File

You can save SYSTEM 2000 statements in a file by using the SAS Text Editor and directing PROC QUEST to read statements from that file by submitting the following statement:

   local command file is fileref;

fileref is the ddname for the file. However, any SAS macros in the file will not be expanded because PROC QUEST submits the statements directly to SYSTEM 2000 without SAS reading them.

The following statement lets you continue to submit statements from the Program Editor; write it at the end of the Command File:

   LOCAL COMMAND FILE IS INPUT;

If you omit this command, PROC QUEST automatically returns to the Program Editor when it finds an end-of-file in the Command File.

Note: SYSTEM 2000 commands in a Command File must be specified in uppercase or a syntax error occurs. [cautionend]

PROC QUEST enables you to use alternate user files for the Data File, Message File, and Report File. They can be local files or files allocated in the Multi-User region.

Attention Interrupts in TSO

If you interrupt processing while running PROC QUEST under TSO, the usual SAS message (asking whether you want to terminate or continue) does not appear. Instead, an attention interrupt in the Output window is interpreted to mean that you want to purge any additional output. The first line on the next page is displayed, but additional output from your last statement is discarded. If you interrupt processing at any other time, the interrupt is ignored.

To cancel the session, you must first terminate PROC QUEST.

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