When you create ODS output (either graphs or tables), ODS searches sequentially through each library in the ODS PATH list for a template that matches the one requested. If you have not changed the default ODS path, then ODS searches the SASUSER.Templat library first, then SASHELP.Tmplmst. ODS uses the first template that it finds with the requested name. Note:Templates with the same name can exist in more than one template library.

The ODS PATH statement specifies the libraries to search, as well as the order in which to search them. You can change the default path by using the ODS PATH statement. For example, the following statement sets the ODS path so that the template library WORK.Mystore is searched first, followed by SASHELP.Tmplmst:

   ods path work.mystore(update) sashelp.tmplmst(read);

The UPDATE option provides update access as well as read access to WORK.Mystore. The READ option provides read-only access to SASHELP.Tmplmst. With this path, the template library SASUSER.Templat is no longer searched. You can verify this with the following statement:

   ods path show;

Here are the log messages generated by the preceding statement:

   Current ODS PATH list is:

   1. WORK.MYSTORE(UPDATE)
   2. SASHELP.TMPLMST(READ)

For more information, see the SAS Output Delivery System: User's Guide and the SAS/GRAPH: Graph Template Language User's Guide. Example 21.5 illustrates all the steps of displaying, editing, saving, and using customized templates.