Using the SAS Windowing Environment

Using SAS Windowing Environment Command Types

Overview of SAS Windowing Environment Command Types

There are specific types of SAS windowing environment commands. The type of commands that you use might depend on the task that you need to complete, or on your personal preferences. These commands can be in the form of:

command line commands
pull-down menu commands
line commands (in text editing windows)
keyboard function keys

For information about specific commands that can be issued in the SAS windowing environment, see Working with SAS Windows. For information about specific commands that can be used in the SAS text editor, see Working with Text.

Using Command Line Commands

Command line commands can be entered in two places:

on the command line (if it is turned on)
in the Command window (if it is available)

If the command line is turned on, then you can place your cursor on the command line and type commands. You can toggle the command line on or off for a specific window by selecting Tools Options Turn Command Line On or Tools Options Turn Command Line Off.

The Command window (if it is available in your operating environment) includes a text area. You can place your cursor in this area and then issue commands.

To execute a command, type the command on the command line and then press the ENTER or RETURN key, depending on which operating environment you are using. You can specify a simple one-word command, multiple commands separated by semicolons, or a command followed by an option.

For example, if you want to move from the Editor window and open both the Log and the Output windows, on the command line of the Editor window, specify

log; output

Entering Commands on the Command Line

[Entering Commands on the Command Line]

Next, press ENTER or RETURN to execute both commands. The Log and Output windows appear. The Output window is the active window because the command to open this window was executed last.

Using Pull-Down Menus

SAS windowing environment windows can display pull-down menus instead of a command line. You can then make menu selections to do things that you would usually accomplish by typing commands.

If your operating environment does not default to using drop-down menus, then issue the PMENU command at a command line to turn on menus for all windows that support them.

You can point and click menus and menu items with a mouse to make your selections. In some operating environments, you can also make menu selections by moving your cursor over the menu items and then pressing ENTER or RETURN. Depending on the item that you select, one of three things happens:

a command executes
a pull-down menu appears
a dialog box appears

In many cases, double-clicking on items and right-clicking on items will cause different menus to appear. Sometimes you might want to try one or the other when selecting an item does not give you the expected result.

In other operating environments with workstations that are not equipped with a mouse, here are the keyboard equivalents to mouse actions:

Mouse action	Keyboard equivalent
double-click	type an s or an x in the space next to the item, then press the ENTER or RETURN key.
right-click	instead of right-clicking an item, type ? in the space next to the item, then press the ENTER or RETURN key.

Using Line Commands

Line commands are one or more letters that copy, move, delete, and otherwise edit text. You can execute line commands by typing them in the numbered part of a text editing window (such as the Editor or the SAS NOTEPAD).

Although line commands are usually executed in the numbered part of the display or with function keys, they can also be executed from the command line if preceded by a colon.

Note: Issue the NUMBERS command to toggle line numbers on or off in text editing windows. [cautionend]

For more information about line commands, see Working with Text.

Using Function Keys

Your keyboard includes function keys to which default values have already been assigned. You can browse or alter those values in the Keys window. To open the Keys window, select Tools Options Keys or issue the KEYS command.

To change the setting of a key in the Keys window, type the new value over the old value. The new setting takes effect immediately and is saved permanently when you execute the END command to close the Keys window.

Function keys enable you to tailor your key settings to meet your needs in a particular SAS session. For example, If you might need to submit a number of programs and need to move between the Editor window and the Output window. Then each time you finish viewing your output, you must type the PGM and ZOOM commands on the command line and press ENTER or RETURN. As a shortcut, define one of your function keys to perform this action by typing the following commands over an unwanted value or where no value existed before:

pgm; zoom

Then, each time you press that function key, the commands are executed, saving you time. You can also use function keys to execute line commands. Simply precede the line command with a colon as you would if you were issuing the line command from the command line.

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