Preparing a Setup Image for Users in a Network Environment

Setting up SAS Enterprise Guide includes giving users access to a setup image of SAS Enterprise Guide. Users must access the setup image in order to install the SAS Enterprise Guide software on their local machines. In a network environment, you create a setup image on a server. Note that the setup procedure includes identifying the profile and associated metadata server.

In a network environment you can create several profiles for several servers, each one for different groups of users. This is the most complex way to use metadata servers, and it is also the most powerful. If you create several metadata servers, then you will need to configure a different setup image for each group of users so that each group will access the correct profile at start-up.

To create a setup image for users in a network environment, follow these steps:

If you have not already done so, choose a location for the setup image. The location should be on a server that all users can access. Using Windows Explorer or another file manager, copy the installation files (from the installation CD or from another location) to the chosen location.
Create a customized set of defaults for SAS Enterprise Guide installations, which are automatically applied when users install SAS Enterprise Guide. The defaults are read from the EGOptions.xml file (if present) and the options.ini file when the installation is performed. If you do not create an EGOptions.xml file, SAS Enterprise Guide will use the default values that are set by SAS.

To create the EGOptions.xml file, open the Enterprise Guide Options window by selecting ToolsCustomize EG Options from SAS Enterprise Guide Explorer.

Specify the default values for SAS Enterprise Guide installations by selecting each category and setting the displayed options. Position the mouse pointer over an option in order to display a brief description of that option at the bottom of the window.
After you set the default values, click Save or Save As. In the Save window, specify a filename of EGOptions.xml. After you create the file, copy it to the location for the setup image.
Ensure that the profile information for this set of users is in a location where users can access it. (It does not need to be in the same location as the installation files.)
Copy the SDSControl.xml file from the work directory to the SAS Enterprise Guide setup directory and to the <shared_files>\SAS Directory Services location. This file contains the central profile information. The <shared_files> location is typically C:\Program Files\SAS\Shared Files, but the location might differ depending on your installation.
Copy the SAS Enterprise Guide application setup directory to a network drive that users can access in order to run SETUP.EXE, which is the program that installs a copy of the setup image on users' local machines. Add the SDSControl.xml file to the directory where SETUP.EXE resides. You can provide a link from a Web site to the directory for easy access.