How Can I Change the Default Action When I Double Click on a SAS File in Windows Explorer?

During the SAS System setup process, all files associated with SAS are registered in the Windows registration database. Actions for each of the file types are also registered. Right mouse clicking in the Windows Explorer on a file type will display all of the registered actions for a specific file type. When you double click on a file type, the default action for that file type is performed. The application invoked is determined by what is registered for that file type.

For SAS, the application invoked will be either SASOACT.EXE, The SAS System Viewer, or
SAS.EXE itself (batch submit).

SASOACT.EXE will then see if an existing OLE automation session of SAS is running. If not, it will then invoke an OLE automation session of SAS. Next, the initial command:
"afa c=sashelp.dispatc.actions.frame" is sent to SAS.

Next, the dispatch window is made the active window and SASOACT.EXE passes the following command to the dispatch window: Action="Open" Datatype="SASFile" Filename="". Finally, the Dispatch SCL program invokes the appropriate method to perform the end result. These methods are setup by The SAS Desktop contained with the SAS/BASE module.

To look at your settings, go to Windows Explorer, choose Tools ' Folder Options, then select the File Types tab. Scroll down to the SAS extension and click Advanced. Select the OPEN action and click Edit. You should see syntax similar to the following:

"C:\PROGRA~1\SASINS~1\SAS\V8\CORE\SASEXE\SASOACT.EXE" action=Open datatype=SASFile filename="%1" progid=SAS.Application.8

The %1 will be replaced by the Windows operating system with the actual filename you have chosen. Below are some examples showing the syntax in different versions of SAS.

"C:\PROGRA~1\SAS\SAS9~1.1\CORE\SASEXE\SASOACT.EXE" action=Submit
datatype=SASFile filename="Test.sas"

"C:\PROGRA~1\SASINS~1\SAS\V8\CORE\SASEXE\SASOACT.EXE" action=Open
datatype=Data filename="Houses.sd2"

Below is a brief summary of the command line arguments that can be used:

SASOACT - will parse the following command line arguments.

ACTION - SAS File Types and Actions for valid actions for the registered data types.

DATATYPE - SAS File Types and Actions for valid data types.

FILENAME - Fully qualified filename, for which the action is to be performed on. In the Explorer environment, the operating system provides the fully qualified filename.

ENTRY - Two level entry name, when datatype=Catalog, this parameter can be used to perform actions on individual catalog members.

INITCMD - This is the first command that will be executed once SAS is invoked. The default initial command is "afa c=sashelp.dispatc.actions.frame". If initcmd is omitted, the default initcmd is invoked.

WINDOWNAME - After the initial command is executed a window is made active to send the action/datatype/filename string to. The default windowname is dispatch. If windowname is omitted, the dispatch window will be made the active window.

OPTIONS - SASOACT only searches for three specific options. Otherwise, the remaining arguments in the options statement is passed on through unchanged to the active window in SAS. The following three OPTIONS have special significance.
-NEW - SASOACT will always invoke a new OLE automation session of SAS. Otherwise, it will first check to see if an existing OLE automation session of SAS is running. If it is, then all commands will be sent to that session. Else, a new session will be invoked.
-DNDPRN - Printer driver, a parameter needed to support PrintTo or drag and drop to non-default printers.
-DNDPORT - Printer port, a parameter needed to support PrintTo or drag and drop to non-default printers.

PROGID - This is populated from the Windows Registry under the Registry structure: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT ' SAS.Application (Default) = "SAS.Application"
The current version settings can be found in the following location and the command it invokes.
CurVer (Default) = SAS.Application.901 (for version 9)
command (Default) = C:\PROGRAM FILES\SAS\SAS 9.1\SAS.EXE -CONFIG C:\PROGRAM FILES\SAS\SAS 9.1\SASV9.CFG