Using SAS Files

The Sasuser Library

SAS assigns a library that has the libref SASUSER. The Sasuser library contains a SAS catalog that enables you to customize certain features of SAS while your SAS session is running and to save these changes. For example, in Base SAS software, any saved changes that you make to function key settings or to window attributes are stored in a catalog named SASUSER.PROFILE.

Note: If SASUSER.PROFILE does not exist and SASHELP.PROFILE (in the SASHELP library) does exist, SAS copies SASHELP.PROFILE to SASUSER.PROFILE before invoking a SAS session. [cautionend]

The Sasuser library can also contain personal catalogs for other SAS software products. You can also store SAS data files, SAS views, SAS programs, and additional SAS catalogs in your Sasuser library.

In addition to storing function key settings and window attributes, the SASUSER.PROFILE catalog is used to store your DEFAULT.FORM. The DEFAULT.FORM is created by the FORM subsystem. It is used to control the default destination of all output that is generated by the PRINT command during a SAS windowing environment session. For information about the FORM subsystem, see Host-Specific Frames of the Form Window and SAS Language Reference: Concepts.

Under OpenVMS, the SASUSER= system option specifies the location of the Sasuser library. The default value of the SASUSER= system option is the value of the SAS$USER logical name. This logical name is defined by the SAS92.COM file. By default, the SAS$USER logical name points to the SASUSER92 subdirectory of the SYS$LOGIN directory. (SYS$LOGIN is your default login directory.) For more information about how to change the location of this library, see SASUSER= System Option: OpenVMS.

Creating Your Own Sasuser Libraries

By creating your own Sasuser libraries, you can customize SAS to meet the requirements of a number of different types of jobs. For example, suppose you want to create a user profile for a particular type of task that requires a unique set of key definitions.

To tell SAS which library to use as your Sasuser library, use the SASUSER= system option when you invoke SAS. For example, if you want to designate a directory named MYSUSER as your Sasuser library, you would use the following command:

$ SAS92/SASUSER=DISK:[MYSUSER]

Any profile changes that you make during your session are saved in the SAS catalog SASUSER.PROFILE, which is a file in the MYSUSER directory. These changes will be retained when you end your SAS session.

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