User Profile Catalog

Definition

user profile catalog (SASUSER.PROFILE): is a catalog available for customizing the way you work with SAS. SAS uses this catalog to store function key definitions, fonts for graphics applications, window attributes, and other information from interactive windowing procedures.

How the Information Is Used

The information in the SASUSER.PROFILE catalog is accessed automatically by SAS when you need it for processing. For example, each time you enter the KEYS window and change the settings, SAS stores the new settings with the KEYS entry type. Similarly, if you change and save the attributes for interactive window procedures, the changes are stored under the appropriate entry name and type. When you use the window or procedure, SAS then looks for information in the user profile catalog.

How SASUSER.PROFILE Is Created

SAS creates the user profile catalog the first time it tries to refer to it and discovers that it does not exist. If you are using an interactive windowing environment, this occurs during system initialization in your first SAS session. If you use one of the other modes of execution, the user profile catalog is created the first time you execute a SAS procedure that requires it.

Operating Environment Information: The SASUSER library is implemented differently in various operating environments. See the SAS documentation for your host system for more information on how and when it is created. [cautionend]

Default Settings

The default settings for your SAS session are stored in several catalogs in the SASHELP installation library. If you do not make any changes to key settings or other options, SAS uses the default settings. If you make changes, the new information is stored in your user profile catalog. To restore the original default settings, use the CATALOG procedure or CATALOG window to delete the appropriate entries from your user profile catalog. By default, SAS then uses the corresponding entry from the SASHELP library.

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