Using the Output Delivery System

HTML Output in the SAS Windowing Environment

The default destination in the SAS windowing environment is HTML and ODS Graphics is enabled by default.[5] These defaults have several advantages. Graphs are integrated with tables, and all output is displayed in the same HTML file. The HTML destination uses the HTMLBLUE style, which is an all-color style, that is designed to integrate tables and modern statistical graphics.

You can view and modify the default settings by selecting Tools $\blacktriangleright $ Options $\blacktriangleright $ Preferences from the menu at the top of the main SAS window. Then click the Results tab. You can remember this sequence using the mnemonic TOPR (pronounced "topper"). See Figure 20.1.

Figure 20.1: SAS Results Tab with the Default Settings

SAS Results Tab with the Default Settings


The default settings are as follows:

  • HTML output is created when Create HTML is selected, and all output is viewed in the Results Viewer window.

  • ODS Graphics is enabled when Use ODS Graphics is selected.

  • The default style, HTMLBLUE, is selected from the Style list.

  • Results are viewed in an internal SAS browser when Internal browser is selected.

  • Graph image files are saved in the Work folder (not in your current folder) when Use WORK folder is selected.

  • LISTING output is not created when the Create listing box is cleared.

In many cases, graphs are an integral part of a data analysis. However, when you run large computational programs (such as when you use procedures with many BY groups), you might not want to create graphs. In those cases, you should disable ODS Graphics, which will improve the performance of your program. You can disable and re-enable ODS Graphics in your SAS programs with the ODS GRAPHICS OFF and ODS GRAPHICS ON statements. You can also change the ODS Graphics default in the Results tab.

In the SAS windowing environment, the current folder is displayed in the status line at the bottom of the main SAS window. When Use WORK folder is cleared, graph image files are saved in the current folder and are available after your SAS session ends. They can accumulate with time and take up a great deal of space. When Use WORK folder is selected, graph image files are stored in the Work folder and are not available after your SAS session ends.


[5] HTML output with ODS Graphics enabled is the default in the SAS windowing environment for Microsoft Windows and UNIX, but not on the mainframe.