Accessibility Features in SAS under Windows

Introduction to Accessibility Features in SAS under Windows

SAS under Windows includes the following accessibility and compatibility features that improve the usability of SAS for users with disabilities. These features are related to accessibility standards for electronic information technology adopted by the U.S. Government under Section 508 of the U.S. Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended.

Accessible Windows and Dialog Boxes

In addition to the main SAS window, the following table lists the SAS windows and dialog boxes that are compliant with Section 508 of the U.S. Rehabilitation Act of 1973:
Accessible SAS Windows and Dialog Boxes
Window or Dialog Box
Related Window or Dialog Box
About SAS System
Legal Notices
Siteinfo
Change Folder
none
Customize Tools, Customize tab
Bitmap Browser
Open Tools
Save Tools
DDE Triplet in Clipboard
none
Enhanced Editor
Find
Replace
Run Keyboard Macro
Keyboard Macros
Assign Keys
Create Keyboard Macro
Edit Keyboard Macro
Import Keyboard Macros
Export Keyboard Macros
Add Abbreviation
Enhanced Editor Options
User Defined Keywords
SAS Extensions
Enhanced Editor Keys
Assign Keys
Note: The Alt + [ and Alt + ] key strokes do not function in a macro.
Explorer
Find
New Library
Catalog Create
Explorer Options
Properties
Catalog
Export Wizard
all subsequent dialog boxes
Find
none
Font
none
Import Wizard
all subsequent dialog boxes
Libraries
New Library
Modify Library
Log
Log Options
My Favorite Folders
none
NOTEPAD
none
Open
none
Output
Output Options
Preferences
none
Print
(Windows and Universal Print dialog boxes)
Page Setup
Print Abort
Print Preview
Print Setup
(Windows and Universal Print dialog boxes)
Program Editor
none
Replace
none
Results
Results Properties
Rename
Save as Object
Templates and resulting dialog boxes
Results Viewer - SAS Output
none
Run
none
SAS System Options
none
Save
none
Send mail
none
Windows
none

The ACCESSIBILITY System Option

Accessing the Standard or Fully Accessible User Interface

The ACCESSIBILITY system option enables you to specify either the standard user interface or the fully accessible user interface. The standard user interface enables accessibility aids to read components of most of the windows and dialog boxes that are listed in the previous section. The fully accessible user interface enables accessibility aids to read components of all of the windows that are specified in the previous section.
The fully accessible user interface adds buttons to these dialog boxes so that all commands and tabbed pages are accessible by using the keyboard:
  • the Customize Tools dialog box Custom tab
  • some SAS Properties dialog boxes.
You specify the ACCESSIBILITY system option either in your configuration file or at the command prompt when you start SAS. Valid values for ACCESSIBILITY are
standard
specifies to use the preferred user interface that is not fully accessible. This is the default.
extended
specifies to use the fully accessible user interface.
For more information, see ACCESSIBILITY System Option: Windows.

Using the Accessible Customize Tools Dialog Box

The Customize Tools dialog box Customize tab provides command buttons for file and edit commands, such as Open a toolbar and Add tool. When you start SAS with the ACCESSIBILITY system option set to extended, SAS adds a File Menu button and an Edit Menu button to the Customize tab. These buttons enable you to use the keyboard to issue the commands that are available from the File and Edit menus commands.
The Accessible Customize Tools Dialog Box
Accessible Customize Tools Dialog Box

Using Accessible Properties Dialog Boxes

When the ACCESSIBILITY system option is set to extended, the tabbed pages in some SAS Property dialog boxes are accessible as buttons. You can press Ctrl + Page Up and Ctrl + Page Down to navigate through the Properties dialog box.
An Accessible Properties Dialog Box
An Accessible Properties Dialog Box

Enlarging Fonts

To make text easier to read, you can enlarge the font by using the Font dialog box and the SYSGUIFONT system option.
To open the Font dialog box, type dlgfont in the command bar or select Toolsthen selectOptionsthen selectFonts. Specify the font size in the Size box and click OK.
To enlarge fonts in button text and the descriptive text, such as the words Contents of SAS Environment in the SAS Explorer window, use the SYSGUIFONT system option either in the configuration file or at the command prompt when you start SAS. The following SAS command uses the Times New Roman font with a font size of 16: 
sas -sysguifont "times new roman" 16
Note: You might need to maximize the SAS window in order to allow space for large fonts to be readable.

Enlarging Icons

To enlarge icons, do the following
  1. Select Toolsthen selectCustomize
  2. In the Toolbars tab, select Large icons.

Resizing the Docking View in the Main SAS Window

To resize the docking view by using the keyboard, press Alt + W + S or select Windowthen selectSize Docking View. Alternatively, you can type wdockviewresize in the command bar.
Use the following keyboard sequences to resize the docking view:
  • Press the right arrow ( -> ) or left arrow ( <- ) to move the split bar slightly to the right or to the left.
  • Press Ctrl + right arrow ( -> ) or Ctrl + left arrow ( <- ) to move the split bar a larger amount to the right or to the left.
  • Press Home to move the split bar completely to the left.
  • Press End to move the split bar completely to the right.
  • Press Return to accept the docking view size.
  • Press Esc to cancel all docking view resizing.
For more information, see WDOCKVIEWRESIZE Command: Windows.

Sorting Window List Views by a Specific Column

When a window contains a list view (such as SAS Explorer), you can sort the list by the detail information that is associated with the list by using the Sort Columns dialog box:
  1. If the window is not already a list, select Viewthen selectList
  2. Type dlgcolumnsort in the command bar.
  3. Select a column to sort.
  4. Click Sort.
  5. Click Close.
For more information, see DLGCOLUMNSORT Command: Windows.

Resizing the Detail Columns of a List View

You can resize the details columns in a List view by using the Column Settings dialog box. You must display the details in order to do this action.
  1. If the window is not already a list, select Viewthen selectList
  2. If the details are not already displayed, select Viewthen selectDetails
  3. Type dlgcolumnsize in the command bar.
  4. Select a column to resize.
  5. Press TAB and type the pixel width that you want for the column.
  6. Do one of the following:
    • Click Apply to view the changes without closing the dialog box. Once you have finished making your changes, press ENTER to close the dialog box.
    • Click OK to apply the changes and close the dialog box.
The columns in the SAS System Options window cannot be resized.
For more information, see DLGCOLUMNSIZE Command: Windows.

Improving Access to Menus

Applications that provide custom icons to menu items can impede the readability of menus by accessibility aids. When you specify the NOMENUICONS system option, SAS does not include menu icons for all windows. When menu icons are excluded, menus conform to the standard Windows menu structure.
You can specify the NOMENUICONS system option in the configuration file, at SAS invocation, or by using the OPTIONS statement:
-MENUICONS | -NOMENUICONS
MENUICONS | NOMENUICONS
MENUICONS
specifies to include icons in menus.
NOMENUICONS
specifies not to include icons in menus.
For example, sas -nomenuicons starts SAS and excludes menu icons. In an OPTIONS statement, you specify 
options nomenuicons;
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