SAS Companion for UNIX Environments

Customizing Colors

The SAS System ships to all sites a default set of colors and attribute settings for the elements of all SAS windows. You can customize the colors in your SAS session

through Resource Helper (reshelper). Resource Helper allows you to customize any color. See Setting X Resources with the Resource Helper and Changing Colors with Resource Helper for more information.
through the SASCOLOR window, as described in Using the SASCOLOR Window. You can customize any window element for most SAS windows with the SASCOLOR window.
with the COLOR command as described in Using the COLOR Command. The COLOR command affects only the specified element of the active window. Changes made with the COLOR command override changes entered through any of the other methods described here.
by entering the color resource specifications yourself. You can enter specific RGB values or color names for any of the X resources that control color. See Defining Color Resources for more information.

Using the SASCOLOR Window

You can use the SASCOLOR window to change the color and highlighting of specific elements of SAS windows. To open the SASCOLOR window, issue the SASCOLOR command or select

Tools Options Colors...

SASCOLOR Window

[IMAGE]

To change a color for a window element, select the element name, and then select color and attribute that you want assigned to the element.

The BLINK attribute is not supported. The HIGHLIGHT attribute causes text to be displayed in bold font.

When you select [Save], your changes are saved to the catalog entry SASUSER.PROFILE.SAS.CPARMS.

For more information on the SASCOLOR window, refer to the online help.

Using the COLOR Command

You can use the COLOR command to set the color for specific elements of the active window:

color field-type <color|NEXT <highlight>>

field-type: specifies an area of the window such as background, banner, command, border, message, and so on.
color: specifies a color such as blue (which can be abbreviated B), red (R), green (G), cyan (C), pink (P), yellow (Y), white (W), black (K), magenta (M), gray (A), brown (B), or orange (O).
NEXT: changes the color to the next available color.
highlight: can be H (which causes text to be displayed in a bold font), U (underlined), or R (reverse video). The BLINK attribute is not supported.

To save your changes, issue the WSAVE command. The changes are saved to SASUSER.PROFILE.window.WSAVE.

Note: The WSAVE command is not available for all SAS windows. For example, with SAS/FSP or SAS/CALC software, changes are saved either through the EDPARMS or the PARMS window. (To determine whether WSAVE is available for a SAS window, refer to the product documentation.) [cautend]

Refer to the online help for more information on the COLOR and WSAVE commands.

Defining Color Resources

Color resources fall into two categories:

foreground and background definitions: These resources allow you to customize the RGB values that are used to define the 12 DMS colors. Since each color could be used as either a background or a foreground color, you can specify different RGB values or color names for each color for each usage. For example, you can specify that when blue is used as a foreground color, color #0046ED is used, and when blue is used as a background color, CornflowerBlue is used.
window element definitions: These resources, which are referred to as CPARMS resources, allow you to specify which of the 12 DMS colors you want to use for each window element. For example, you can specify that message text is displayed in magenta.

These two types of resources work together. The CPARMS color values use the current foreground and background definitions. For example, the following resources specify that the background of your primary windows will be CornflowerBlue:

SAS.blueBackgroundColor: CornflowerBlue
SAS.cparmBackground: DmBlue

Specifying RGB Values or Color Names for Foreground and Background Resources

The SAS System uses SAS.systemBackground, SAS.systemForeground, and the resources listed in Foreground and Background Color Resources to determine the colors to be used in its windows.

SAS.systemForeground: color: specifies the color for the foreground system color in the SASCOLOR window.
SAS.systemBackground: color: specifies the color for the background system color in the SASCOLOR window.
SAS.systemSecondaryBackground: color: sets the system secondary background color and specifies the color for the secondary background system color in the SASCOLOR window.

You can specify color names such as MediumVioletRed or RGB values such as #0000FF for all of the foreground and background resources. Refer to your X Window System documentation for information on RGB color values.

The following table lists all of the foreground and background color resources and their class names. All of these resources are of the type String.

***Foreground and Background Color Resources***
Resource Name	Class Name
`SAS.systemForeground`	SystemForeground
`SAS.systemBackground`	SystemBackground
`SAS.systemSecondaryBackground`	Background
`SAS.blackForegroundColor`	BlackForegroundColor
`SAS.blueForegroundColor`	BlueForegroundColor
`SAS.brownForegroundColor`	BrownForegroundColor
`SAS.cyanForegroundColor`	CyanForegroundColor
`SAS.grayForegroundColor`	GrayForegroundColor
`SAS.greenForegroundColor`	GreenForegroundColor
`SAS.magentaForegroundColor`	MagentaForegroundColor
`SAS.orangeForegroundColor`	OrangeForegroundColor
`SAS.pinkForegroundColor`	PinkForegroundColor
`SAS.redForegroundColor`	RedForegroundColor
`SAS.whiteForegroundColor`	WhiteForegroundColor
`SAS.yellowForegroundColor`	YellowForegroundColor
`SAS.blackBackgroundColor`	BlackBackgroundColor
`SAS.blueBackgroundColor`	BlueBackgroundColor
`SAS.brownBackgroundColor`	BrownBackgroundColor
`SAS.cyanBackgroundColor`	CyanBackgroundColor
`SAS.grayBackgroundColor`	GrayBackgroundColor
`SAS.greenBackgroundColor`	GreenBackgroundColor
`SAS.magentaBackgroundColor`	MagentaBackgroundColor
`SAS.orangeBackgroundColor`	OrangeBackgroundColor
`SAS.pinkBackgroundColor`	PinkBackgroundColor
`SAS.redBackgroundColor`	RedBackgroundColor
`SAS.whiteBackgroundColor`	WhiteBackgroundColor
`SAS.yellowBackgroundColor`	YellowBackgroundColor

Defining Colors and Attributes for Window Elements (CPARMS)

You can define the colors and attributes for specific window elements by assigning values to SAS resources known as CPARMS. Each CPARMS resource defines the color and attribute of a specific window element, such as the background in a secondary window or the border of a primary window.

You can specify multiple color and attribute names in the same resource definition, but only the final color and attribute will be used:

SAS.cparmResource: DmColorName|DmAttrName\
<+DmColorName|DmAttrName>

Resource can be any of the CPARMS resources listed in SAS CPARM Resources. All of these resources are of type DmColor, and their default values are dynamic-that is, the default values are determined at run time.

SAS CPARM Resources
Resource Name Class Name Specifies the color and attribute settings for...

SAS.cparmBackground CparmBackground backgrounds within all primary windows displayed in a SAS session

SAS.cparmForeground CparmBackground all editable text fields within a SAS window

SAS.cparmSecondaryBackground CparmForeground backgrounds in dialog boxes that prompt the user (secondary windows)

SAS.cparmBorder CparmBackground the border of a primary window

SAS.cparmSecondaryBorder CparmForeground the border of a secondary window

SAS.cparmBanner CparmForeground banners within window such as the command line prompt

SAS.cparmCommand CparmForeground the command data entry field when PMENUs are disabled

SAS.cparmMessage CparmForeground the message field

SAS.cparmNumber CparmForeground line numbers

SAS.cparmText CparmForeground text labels for row information. You can use this resource within the SAS editor to identify editing lines and in spreadsheets windows to label spreadsheets rows.

SAS.cparmInfo CparmForeground text that is displayed in a window as an aid to the user, for example:
Press Enter to continue

SAS.cparmLabel CparmForeground text that precedes a widget, such as the text Name: in the following line is a label:
Name: ___________________

SAS.cparmColumn CparmForeground text labels for column information. You can use this resource within the SAS editor to identify editing lines and in spreadsheet windows to label spreadsheet rows.

SAS.cparmHelpMainTopic CparmForeground topic words or phrases in the help system

SAS.cparmHelpSubTopic CparmForeground topic words or phrases in the help system

SAS.cparmHelpLink CparmForeground links to additional levels of HELP information

SAS.cparmError CparmForeground ERROR lines that are written to the Log or Output windows

SAS.cparmMark CparmForeground areas that have been selected for operations such as FIND, CUT, and COPY

SAS.cparmNote CparmForeground NOTE lines that are written to the Log or Output windows

SAS.cparmSource CparmForeground SAS source lines that are written to the Log window

SAS.cparmData CparmForeground general lines written to the Log or Output windows

SAS.cparmFootnote CparmForeground FOOTNOTE lines written to the Output window

SAS.cparmTitle CparmForeground TITLE lines written to the Output window

SAS.cparmHeader CparmForeground HEADER lines written to the Output window

SAS.cparmByline CparmForeground BY lines written to the Output window

SAS.cparmWarning CparmForeground WARNING lines written to the Log or Output windows

***SAS CPARM Resources***
Resource Name	Class Name	Specifies the color and attribute settings for...
`SAS.cparmBackground`	CparmBackground	backgrounds within all primary windows displayed in a SAS session
`SAS.cparmForeground`	CparmBackground	all editable text fields within a SAS window
`SAS.cparmSecondaryBackground`	CparmForeground	backgrounds in dialog boxes that prompt the user (secondary windows)
`SAS.cparmBorder`	CparmBackground	the border of a primary window
`SAS.cparmSecondaryBorder`	CparmForeground	the border of a secondary window
`SAS.cparmBanner`	CparmForeground	banners within window such as the command line prompt
`SAS.cparmCommand`	CparmForeground	the command data entry field when PMENUs are disabled
`SAS.cparmMessage`	CparmForeground	the message field
`SAS.cparmNumber`	CparmForeground	line numbers
`SAS.cparmText`	CparmForeground	text labels for row information. You can use this resource within the SAS editor to identify editing lines and in spreadsheets windows to label spreadsheets rows.
`SAS.cparmInfo`	CparmForeground	text that is displayed in a window as an aid to the user, for example: Press Enter to continue
`SAS.cparmLabel`	CparmForeground	text that precedes a widget, such as the text `Name:` in the following line is a label: Name: ___________________
`SAS.cparmColumn`	CparmForeground	text labels for column information. You can use this resource within the SAS editor to identify editing lines and in spreadsheet windows to label spreadsheet rows.
`SAS.cparmHelpMainTopic`	CparmForeground	topic words or phrases in the help system
`SAS.cparmHelpSubTopic`	CparmForeground	topic words or phrases in the help system
`SAS.cparmHelpLink`	CparmForeground	links to additional levels of HELP information
`SAS.cparmError`	CparmForeground	ERROR lines that are written to the Log or Output windows
`SAS.cparmMark`	CparmForeground	areas that have been selected for operations such as FIND, CUT, and COPY
`SAS.cparmNote`	CparmForeground	NOTE lines that are written to the Log or Output windows
`SAS.cparmSource`	CparmForeground	SAS source lines that are written to the Log window
`SAS.cparmData`	CparmForeground	general lines written to the Log or Output windows
`SAS.cparmFootnote`	CparmForeground	FOOTNOTE lines written to the Output window
`SAS.cparmTitle`	CparmForeground	TITLE lines written to the Output window
`SAS.cparmHeader`	CparmForeground	HEADER lines written to the Output window
`SAS.cparmByline`	CparmForeground	BY lines written to the Output window
`SAS.cparmWarning`	CparmForeground	WARNING lines written to the Log or Output windows

DmColorName can be any one of the following colors:

DmBLUE
DmRED
DmPINK
DmGREEN
DmCYAN
DmYELLOW
DmWHITE
DmORANGE
DmBLACK
DmMAGENTA
DmGRAY
DmBROWN

DmAttrName can be any one of the following attributes:

DmHIGHLIGHT
DmUNDERLINE
DmREVERSE

For example, the following resources specify that all background colors are gray and all foreground colors are black:

SAS.cparmBackground: DmGRAY
SAS.cparmForeground: DmBLACK

These resources specify that errors should be displayed in red with reverse video, and warnings should be displayed in yellow with reverse video and a bold font:

SAS.cparmError: DmRED + DmREVERSE
SAS.cparmWarning: DmHIGHLIGHT + DmYELLOW + DmREVERSE

SAS looks for default CPARMS resources in two places:

If your SAS Site Representative has entered color and attribute settings in the SASHELP.BASE.SAS.CPARMS catalog entry, then these settings become the default for your site.
If you have saved settings in SASUSER.PROFILE.SAS.CPARMS, then these settings override the settings specified for your site.

Controlling Contrast

During interactive move/stretch operations, such as rubberbanding and dragging rectangles in SAS/INSIGHT software, you may find it hard to see the outline of the graphics primitive because of the lack of contrast between the primitive and the background. The XCONTRAST command makes the primitive visible against the background. The rendering performance and the aesthetic appearance of the primitive is compromised for the sake of visibility. You can enter XCONTRAST to act as a toggle, or you can specify XCONTRAST ON or XCONTRAST OFF.

In some color combinations, text fields, push buttons, check boxes, and other foreground categories may not be visible. The SAS.dmsContrastCheck resource makes these categories legible.

SAS.dmsContrastCheck: True|False: controls whether contrast mapping is applied to nongraphic foreground colors in a SAS window. The default value is False. A value of True specifies that DMS foreground colors will be remapped if necessary to produce a contrast. Some color usage based on graphic operations are not affected by this resource.

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