Date:         Mon, 9 Apr 2007 07:55:44 -0400
Reply-To:     "Richard A. DeVenezia" <rdevenezia@WILDBLUE.NET>
Sender:       "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         "Richard A. DeVenezia" <rdevenezia@WILDBLUE.NET>
Organization: Internet News Service
Subject:      Re: x Commands
Comments: To: sas-l@uga.edu

David L Cassell wrote:

> [1]  The first X command is useless.  X commands shell out to a child
> process, run, then kill the child process and jump back to the parent
> process (which is SAS).  So doing an X command to change directories
> does not work.  The child provess has a changed directory.  But the
> child process dies before the next X command gets to run, so you're
> back in the 'current working directory' before your second X command.

Have you tried it?  In windows

    X CD "Path"

does change the SAS sessions current folder (default input/output/ods path).

If you have the status bar turned on (tools/options/preferences:view), the
current folder can be observed in the lower right hand corner of the display
manager.

Speculate that SAS DM does some funky child process snooping, or it parses
the command for CD.

> [2]  <snip>

> [3]  As you have already heard, moving the OPTIONS NOXWAIT ahead of
> the entire macro would do what you want.

Would also recommend using OPTIONS XSYNC, otherwise control could return to
the SAS session prior to NOHARM87 completing

> [4]  <snip>

--
Richard A. DeVenezia
http://www.devenezia.com/