Using SAS System Options to Route Output

Changing the Output Destination Using the LOG, PRINT, ALTLOG, and ALTPRINT System Options

You can use SAS system options to change the destination of the SAS log and procedure output. The options that you use depend on which task you want to accomplish:
  • To route your SAS log or procedure output to an external file instead of to their default destinations, use the LOG and PRINT system options.
  • To route the log or output to an external file in addition to their default destinations, use the ALTLOG and ALTPRINT system options. This method works in all modes of running SAS.
LOG and PRINT are normally used in batch and interactive line modes. These system options have no effect in the windowing environment. If you are running in the windowing environment, use the ALTLOG and ALTPRINT system options.
You can specify these options in the following locations:
  • the SAS command
  • a configuration file
  • the SASV9_OPTIONS environment variable
For example, you could specify these options in the SAS command as follows:
sas -log '/u/myid/log' -print '/u/myid/prt'
sas -altlog '/u/myid/log' -altprint '/u/myid/prt'
For more information, see Ways to Specify a SAS System Option.