The FSVIEW Procedure

FSVIEW Command

Initiates an FSVIEW session.

FSVIEW <? | data-set <formula-name>>

You can specify the following arguments with the FSVIEW command:

?

opens a selection window from which you can choose the data set to be displayed by the FSVIEW procedure. The selection list in the window includes all data sets in all SAS data libraries that have been identified in the current SAS session (all data libraries that have defined librefs).

To select a data set, position the cursor on the desired data set name and press the ENTER key, or enter the desired data set name in the Member Name field.

data-set

specifies the data set to be displayed by the FSVIEW procedure. The general form of the argument is

<libref.>data-set-name<(data-set-options)>

If you omit the libref, then the default library, WORK, is assumed.

If you specify a data set that does not exist, a selection window is opened showing all available data sets. An error message in the selection window indicates that the specified data set does not exist.

If you omit this argument and do not specify ? for a selection window, the most recently created data set (the one identified in the _LAST_= system option) is selected. If no data set has previously been created in the current SAS session, a selection window is opened showing all available data sets.

You can add a list of data set options following the data set name. The options must be enclosed in parentheses. The FIRSTOBS= and OBS= options are ignored; all other data set options are valid. Refer to SAS Language Reference: Dictionary for a list and descriptions of data set options.

formula-name

specifies a FORMULA entry that is associated with the FSVIEW session. The general form of the argument is

<libref.>catalog-name<.entry-name<.FORMULA>>

You can specify a one-, two-, three-, or four-level name:

If a one-level name is specified, it is treated as a catalog name in the default library, WORK. If the specified catalog does not already exist in the WORK library, it is created. The procedure does not attempt to load a FORMULA entry when the FSVIEW session is initiated. When you end the FSVIEW session, a FORMULA entry is created, using the data set name as the FORMULA entry name.

Remember that all catalogs in the WORK library are erased when you end your SAS session.
If a two-level name is specified, it is treated as libref.catalog-name. If the specified catalog does not already exist in the specified library, it is created. The procedure does not attempt to load a FORMULA entry when the FSVIEW session is initiated. When you end the FSVIEW session, a FORMULA entry is created in the specified catalog, using the data set name as the FORMULA entry name. (If an entry that has that name already exists in the catalog, it is replaced without warning.)

For example, suppose you initiate an FSVIEW session with the following command:
```
fsview master.subscrib master.custom
```
When you end the FSVIEW session, the FORMULA entry MASTER.CUSTOM.SUBSCRIB.FORMULA is created.
If a three-level name is specified, it is treated as libref.catalog-name.entry-name. The entry type is assumed to be FORMULA. The procedure attempts to load the specified FORMULA entry when the FSVIEW session is initiated. If the specified FORMULA entry is not found, the FSVIEW session is initiated without an associated FORMULA entry. A FORMULA entry that has the specified name (and an entry type of FORMULA) is created when you end the FSVIEW session.
If a four-level name is specified, the fourth level (entry type) should be FORMULA. Any other value for the type is ignored; FORMULA is used instead. The procedure attempts to load the specified FORMULA entry when the FSVIEW session is initiated. If the specified FORMULA entry is not found, the FSVIEW session is initiated without an associated FORMULA entry. A FORMULA entry that has the specified name is created when you end the FSVIEW session.

If any of the variable names that are specified in the FORMULA entry do not match those in the data set to be displayed, then the FORMULA entry is not loaded, and an error message is displayed.

Using the FSVIEW Command

The FSVIEW command always opens the data set for browsing. Use the MODIFY command to edit the displayed entries.

When you end an FSVIEW session that was initiated with the FSVIEW command, you return to the window that was active when the command was issued. Thus, the command is particularly useful when you want to view the contents of a data set while another interactive windowing procedure is executing.

The FSVIEW command does not support procedure options such as BROWSEONLY and NOADD. You must use the PROC FSVIEW statement rather than the FSVIEW command if you want to invoke the procedure with these options, or if you want to establish default procedure characteristics with the FORMAT, ID, INFORMAT, VAR, or WHERE statements.

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