Syntax for the libnames.parm Parameter File

To define a domain in the libnames.parm parameter file, you must specify a domain name and the path that points to the directory in which data files are stored. The domain specification syntax also supports domain path options and other domain options. Here is an example:

libname=domain-name 
   pathname=primary-path
   <domain-path-options>
   <other-domain-options>;

At a minimum, you must specify a domain name and a PATHNAME= to create a domain. The domain name can be up to eight characters. The first character must be a letter or an underscore. Subsequent characters can be letters, numbers, or underscores. Blanks and special characters (except the underscore) are not allowed. Each domain name must be unique.

The PATHNAME= specification specifies the storage path for SPD Server component files that the domain creates. Different domains should never share the same path. As a best practice, do not use directory names with underscores in the PATHNAME= specification.

Here are some simple examples of defining domains:

libname=spds123 pathname=c:\data\spds123;

libname=123spds pathname=c:\data\123spds;

Once domains are defined, users can connect to the domains by submitting the following code to SPD Server from the SAS client. The code connects to the first domain in the previous examples:

libname mylib sasspds 'spds123' server=d8488.5400 user='myid' password='secret';

Administrators can use the options described in Domain Path Options to enhance computational performance by specifying separate paths for SPD Server component files and work files. Administrators can use other domain options to control access to a domain. For more information, see Other Domain Options.