Beginning in SAS^® 9.3, the -NOXCMD system option is added to the SAS/CONNECT server launch command by default.  If you are running with the -NOXCMD option, you might encounter an error when you attempt to remote submit one of the following in a remote SAS/CONNECT spawner environment:

• X command
• %SYSEXEC statement
• SYSTEM function
• CALL SYSTEM routine
• Any SAS mechanism that submits an operating-system command

Here are some of the errors that you might see when you encounter this problem:

To be able to issue any of the above, you must enable the -XCMD system option on the server.

To enable the -XCMD option in a SAS/CONNECT spawner environment, complete these steps:

1. Add the -SHELL parameter based on the type of configuration described below:

• For a SAS/CONNECT spawner that is part of a SAS^® Foundation configuration, complete this step:
  • In UNIX and Windows operating environments: Add the -SHELL parameter to the SAS/CONNECT start-up. For details, refer to the "Options for Starting and Managing the SAS/CONNECT Spawner" section of Communications Access Methods for SAS/CONNECT^® 9.4 and SAS/SHARE^® 9.4, Second Edition. 
  • In z/OS operating environments: Add the -SHELL parameter to the SAS/CONNECT spawner's PARMS file. Then, follow the steps in SAS Note 54530: "How to modify a spawner in a z/OS operating environment to allow authorized commands in SAS^® 9.3 and later."
• For a SAS/CONNECT spawner that is configured as part of a SAS^® Metadata Server environment, complete this step:
  • In UNIX and z/OS operating environments: Add the following to SAS-configuration-directory/LevX/ConnectSpawner/ConnectSpawner_usermods.sh:
    USERMODS_OPTIONS=-SHELL

    Note: z/OS sites must also follow the steps in SAS Note 54530: "How to modify a spawner in a z/OS operating environment to allow authorized commands in SAS^® 9.3 and later."

  • In Windows operating environments: Add the following to SAS-configuration-directory\LevX\ConnectSpawner\ConnectSpawner_usermods.bat:
    set USERMODS_OPTIONS=-SHELL

2. Stop and restart the SAS/CONNECT spawner. For a SAS^® 9.4 metadata configured SAS/CONNECT spawner, you can alternatively refresh the SAS/CONNECT spawner from SAS^® Management Console.
3. If you need to verify that the SAS/CONNECT server is picking up the -XCMD option, remote submit the following:

If the PROC OPTIONS shows that -XCMD is set and you are still seeing "ERROR: Shell escape is not valid in this SAS session" under z/OS or UNIX, verify that the user ID associated with the server has a valid shell program associated with the user ID profile.

Note: Refer to the "Options for Starting and Managing the SAS/CONNECT Spawner" section of Communications Access Methods for SAS/CONNECT^® 9.4 and SAS/SHARE^® 9.4, Second Edition for additional steps for handling a Windows service (stop service, remove service, install service, and start service) after making these changes.

Operating System and Release Information