SAS produces graphics
using two very distinct systems.
SAS/GRAPH produces graphics using
a device-based system. Base SAS produces graphics through the Output
Delivery System (ODS) using a template-based system.
device-based graphics (
SAS/GRAPH output)
output that is produced
by SAS/GRAPH, which uses devices to generate output. Devices determine
the type of output. Examples of device drivers are GIF, PNG, JPEG,
ACTIVEX, SVG, and SASPRTC. Device drivers supplied by SAS are stored
in the SASHELP.DEVICES catalog. Most procedures that produce device-based
graphics also produce GRSEG catalog entries in addition to any image
files, vector files, or displayed output that are produced. SAS/GRAPH
procedures that produce device-based graphics and GRSEG catalog entries
include the GCHART, GPLOT, GMAP, GBARLINE, GCONTOUR, and G3D procedures.
The device-based procedures that do not produce GRSEG catalog entries
are the GAREABAR, GKPI, and GTILE procedures. For device-based graphics,
you can use the GOPTIONS statement to control the graphical environment.
For example, you can specify which device is used to generate SAS/GRAPH
output by specifying the DEVICE= option in the GOPTIONS statement. Information about device-based graphics is in this document, SAS/GRAPH: Reference.
template-based graphics (ODS Graphics)
output that is produced
from a compiled ODS template of type STATGRAPH. Templates supplied
by SAS are stored in SASHELP.TMPLMST. Device drivers and most
SAS/GRAPH
global statements (such as AXIS, LEGEND, PATTERN, and SYMBOL) have
no effect on template-based graphics. The Base SAS procedures that
produce template-based graphics are the SGPLOT, SGPANEL, SGSCATTER,
SGDESIGN, and SGRENDER procedures. Many
SAS/STAT, SAS/ETS, and
SAS/QC
procedures also produce template-based graphics automatically by default.
Template-based graphics are always produced as image files and never
as GRSEG catalog entries. For template-based graphics, you must use
the ODS GRAPHICS statement to control the graphical environment. For
example, you can specify the type of image file (GIF, PNG, JPEG, SVG,
and so on) that is produced by specifying the OUTPUTFMT= option in
the ODS GRAPHICS statement. Template-based graphics are referred to
as ODS Graphics. Information about ODS Graphics is in
SAS Getting
Started with ODS Graphics,
SAS ODS Graphics: Procedures Guide,
SAS Graph Template Language: User's Guide,
SAS Graph Template Language: Reference,
SAS ODS Graphics Designer: User's Guide, and
SAS ODS Graphics Editor: User's Guide.