The FSLETTER Procedure

PROC FSLETTER Statement

Initiates the FSLETTER procedure and specifies the SAS catalog in which documents that are created with the procedure are stored.

Requirement:	You must specify a SAS catalog when you initiate the FSLETTER procedure. Documents that are created using the procedure are stored in this catalog
Tip:	Use the DATA= option to specify a data set that will be used to fill variable fields when the document is printed.

PROC FSLETTER LETTER=SAS-catalog<.catalog-entry>

<DATA=data-set>

<PRINTFILE=fileref | 'actual-filename'>;

Required Argument

You must use the LETTER= argument in the PROC FSLETTER statement. This argument identifies the catalog in which documents, forms, and editor parameters that are created using the FSLETTER procedure are stored. If the specified catalog does not exist, it is created. The argument can also be used to specify a particular entry to edit. The procedure terminates with an error message if this argument is omitted.

Valid forms of the LETTER= argument are

LETTER=SAS-catalog<.catalog-entry>

CATALOG=SAS-catalog<.catalog-entry>

CAT=SAS-catalog<.catalog-entry>

C=SAS-catalog<.catalog-entry>

The general form of the SAS-catalog value is

<libref.>catalog-name

If you specify a one-level name, it is treated as a catalog name in the default library, WORK. Remember that the contents of the WORK library are erased at the end of each SAS session. Use a two-level catalog name to permanently store your work. You must use a two-level catalog name if you want to specify a catalog entry name.

The general form of the catalog-entry value is

entry-name<.entry-type>

If you omit the catalog entry name, an Explorer window is opened showing the current contents of the specified catalog.

If you supply an entry name in addition to a catalog name, the procedure opens the appropriate window for editing the entry:

If the entry type is LETTER, or if the entry type is omitted, an FSLETTER window is opened.
If the entry type is FORM, a FORM window is opened.
If the entry is FSLETTER.EDPARMS, an EDPARMS window is opened.

The procedure terminates with an error message if you specify an entry type that is not supported by the FSLETTER procedure.

Options

The following options can be used in the PROC FSLETTER statement:

DATA=data-set<(data-set-options)>

names an existing SAS data set that will be used to fill fields in the document. The FSLETTER procedure terminates with an error message if the specified data set does not exist.

Note: This option is valid only if you also specify the name of an existing LETTER entry in the LETTER= argument. [cautionend]

When you use this option, the procedure does not initiate an interactive FSLETTER session. A pause occurs while a copy of the document is printed for each observation in the data set; then the procedure ends.

You can follow the data set name with a list of data set options enclosed in parentheses. The following data set options are valid with the DATA= option:

DROP	RENAME
KEEP	WHERE

See SAS Language Reference: Dictionary for descriptions of these data set options.

NOBORDER

suppresses the sides and bottom of the FSLETTER window's border in a character-based display environment.

Note: This option is ignored in graphical windowing environments. [cautionend]

When this option is used in a supported display environment, text can appear in the columns and row that the border normally occupies.

specifies the fileref or the actual name of an external file to which procedure output is directed. By default, procedure output is sent to the destination that is specified in the associated FORM entry. When this option is used, output is sent to the specified file instead.

If you use a fileref, you must have previously assigned the fileref to an external file with the FILENAME statement. If you use an actual filename, enclose it in quotes.

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