About SAS/GRAPH Output

Most SAS/GRAPH procedures produce graphics output, which is distinct from SAS output. Whereas SAS output is made up of text, graphics output is made up of commands that tell a graphics device how to draw graphics.

This chapter discusses how to display, print, store, modify, and transport SAS/GRAPH output after you have created it. For information on SAS/GRAPH language elements and programs and on how procedure output is generated, see SAS/GRAPH Programs.

By default, SAS/GRAPH procedures that produce graphics output display the output on your monitor or terminal, using either the GRAPH window or the direct display method. For details, see Displaying Graphics Output on Monitors or Terminals. SAS/GRAPH also can direct graphics output to a variety of other destinations. Graphics output can be

• sent directly to a graphics hardcopy device, such as a printer, plotter, or slide camera. The way you send graphics output to a hardcopy device depends on your hardware, operating environment, and system configuration. For details, see Printing Graphics Output.

• saved in a temporary or permanent SAS catalog entry for later replay. For details, see Storing Graphics Output in SAS Catalogs.

• modified with the graphics editor. You can edit or create graphics output, and save the modified graph to a catalog. For details, see Modifying SAS/GRAPH Output.

• transported in catalogs from one operating environment to another. For details, see Transporting and Converting Graphics Output.

• converted for use with a different version of SAS by converting the catalog containing the graphics output. For details, see Converting Catalogs to a Different Version of SAS.

• exported to external files using different graphics file formats. For example, you can save SAS/GRAPH output in formats such as CGM or PostScript for use with other software packages. For details, see About Exporting SAS/GRAPH Output.

In addition, you can produce graphics outputs and automatically generate HTML files to display your graphics output with a Web browser. For details, see Introducing SAS/GRAPH Output for the Web.

Regardless of the other types of output generated, SAS/GRAPH procedures always generate a SAS catalog entry. The entry is stored in the WORK.GSEG catalog unless you specify a different catalog with the GOUT= option in a PROC statement. To generate only catalog entries and suppress all other forms of graphics output, use the NODISPLAY option of the GOPTIONS statement.

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