SAS on Citrix - SPOOL Issues - Microsoft Document Image Writer Damages

One of the most important issues people face while using a remote SAS server is that of PC SAS on Citrix. While I strongly advocate the use of VI & Basic UNIX commands to refrain from creating a dependency on GUI / PC SAS, one cannot ignore the less technical /pure analysts' community, and their plight of wading through the beauty of black.

But we all know that the support offered by SAS to issues on Citrix is not all that great. Am still unsure why organizations don't choose a thin client. SOLARIS and SUN Blade is an excellent solution for high volume Data Mining & Analytics. This is much more viable than PC SAS on Metaframe. It would have been a different issue if PUTTY is all required to do a batch submit.

A Very Common Issue faced is below -

An accidental print command on PC SAS, opened via citrix, leads to the hazard of multi-user outage, since the default printer settings point to Microsoft Document Image Writer which upsets the spool by writing the content to be printed, on to the worng device.

How to tackle this ?

• Temporary workaround (End User Responsibility) -

1. One can set SPOOL=NO in the options of your PROC, to ensure lesser damage while programming. SAS by default has the option set to YES. (OR)
2. Use the Options on the Menu Bar to change the settings permanently. I will try and add the screen shots on how to do this.

• The disadvantages of the SPOOL=NO option
  1. Reduced efficiency in a multi-pass DB2/SQL Query.
  2. It really doesn't solve the core issue of accidental clicks / Print commands issued on the PC SAS Main Menu while trying to keep the SAS session active, under terribly slow refresh rates of GUI on CITRIX.

Check this page on setting SPOOL options for SAS ACCESS / PROC SQL if you still want a temporary solution.

• Server side liability / Admin's piece of work -
  While it is easier to do the temporary fix at the start of every session by executing options mentioned above, it is the admin who would be able to prevent this completely. Hence, here is how to -

1. set the default printer options on Citrix
2. I strongly advice on checking this - How to Create a Network Printer for All Users on CITRIX to avoid writing to the Microsoft Document Image Writer.

I dislike windows primarily, for all promos it carries, linking its own irrelevantly useless applications, for, I am just another of the DARK OPEN SOURCE World. It is high time they heard the user community calling for "Don't give me what I did not ask for". But ask them, and they'd point at the System Admin, who did not take necessary precautions while configuring for the Metaframe venture !!