SAS Companion for the OpenVMS Environment

Customizing Colors

The SAS System ships to all sites a default set of colors and attribute settings for the elements of all SAS windows. Although the same setting for each element is shipped to all sites, the implementation of that setting is determined by device type, logically and physically. Thus, settings may vary among sites and across operating environments.

Optionally, the SAS Installation Coordinator can create the catalog entry SASHELP.BASE.SAS.CPARMS. The color and attribute settings in this catalog become default for the site.

As an individual user, you can customize the colors in your SAS session by using one of the following methods:

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 using the following syntax:
```
color field-type <color | NEXT <highlight>>
```
For a complete description of the COLOR command, see COLOR. 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. To save your changes beyond your current session, do one of the following:
- Issue the WSAVE command. The changes are saved to SASUSER.PROFILE.window.WSAVE.
  Note: Issuing the WSAVE ALL command will save all windows that support the WSAVE command.
- From the View menu, select Change display, and then select Save attributes.
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 that is not part of the SAS windowing environment, refer to the product documentation.
Both the COLOR command and the WSAVE command override actions in the SASCOLOR window. That is, COLOR and WSAVE override the use of CPARMS colors for that particular window without affecting the CPARMS values for other SAS windows.
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. For more information, see Defining Color Resources.

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, do one of the following:

From the Tools menu in the active window, select Options, and then select Colors.
Issue the SASCOLOR command in the command window.

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

Click on [OK] to make the desired color change. You will not see your changes in windows that are already open. To see the new settings you must close the windows and re-open them.

Click on [Cancel] to ignore any changes you made and close the SASCOLOR window. To return all tools in the current toolbox to their default settings, click on [Defaults]. When you click on [Save], your changes are saved to the catalog entry SASUSER.PROFILE.SAS.CPARMS.

For more information about the SASCOLOR window, refer to the SAS online Help.

Defining Color Resources

You can define window colors and attributes by assigning values to SAS resources known as CPARMS. The CPARMS resources are divided into classes, each of which 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.

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 that color #0046ED is used, and when blue is used as a background that CornflowerBlue is used. For more information, see Specifying RGB Values or Color Names for Foreground and Background Resources.
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. For more information, see Defining Colors and Attributes for Window Elements (CPARMS).

The 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 the SAS windows:

SAS.systemForeground: specifies the color for the foreground system color in the SASCOLOR window.
SAS.systemBackground: specifies the color for the background system color the SASCOLOR window.
SAS.systemSecondaryBackground: 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. For more information about RGB color values, refer to your X Window System documentation.

Foreground and Background Color Resources 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 specify CPARMS resources just as you would specify any other SAS X resource in an X resource file. You specify CPARMS values either in your resource file or with the -xrm option, which can be used as a system option or on the SAS command line. (The -xrm option is also described with the SAS system option XRESOURCES=.)

Use the following syntax to specify CPARMS values:

SAS.cparmResource: DmColorName|DmAttrName\ 
[+ DmColorName|DmAttrName]

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

DmColorName can be any one of the following colors:

DmBLACK DmMAGENTA

DmBLUE DmORANGE

DmBROWN DmPINK

DmCYAN DmRED

DmGRAY DmWHITE

DmGREEN DmYELLOW

DmAttrName can be any one of the following attributes:

DmHIGHLIGHT

DmUNDERLINE

DmREVERSE

You can specify attribute names and color names in any order. If you specify more than one color name for a single class, then SAS uses the last color that you specified.

Defining the CPARMS Resource Set

The CPARMS resource set contains the following values:

SAS.cparmBackground

specifies the color and attribute settings for backgrounds within all primary windows displayed in a SAS session. The default is DmWHITE.

SAS.cparmBanner

specifies the color and attribute settings for a banner within a window. The banner is the command line prompt. The default is DmBLACK.

SAS.cparmBorder

specifies the color and attribute settings for the border of a primary window. The default is DmBLACK.

SAS.cparmByline

specifies the color and attribute settings for BY lines written to the Output window. The default is DmBLUE.

SAS.cparmColumn

specifies the color and attribute settings for 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. The default is DmBLUE/UNDERLINE.

SAS.cparmCommand

specifies the color and attribute settings for the command data entry field when menus are disabled. The default is DmBLACK.

SAS.cparmData

specifies the color and attribute settings for general lines written to the Log window or the Output window. The default is DmBLACK.

SAS.cparmError

specifies the color and attribute settings for ERROR: lines that are written to the Log window or the Output window. The default is DmRED.

SAS.cparmFootnote

specifies the color and attribute settings for FOOTNOTE lines written to the Output window. The default is DmBLUE.

SAS.cparmForeground

specifies the color and attribute settings for all text fields within a SAS windowing environment window that can be edited. The default is DmBLACK.

SAS.cparmHeader

specifies the color and attribute settings for HEADER lines written to the Output window. The default is DmBLUE.

SAS.cparmHelpLink

specifies the color and attribute settings for links to additional levels of information in the HELP system. The default is DmGREEN/UNDERLINE.

SAS.cparmHelpMainTopic

specifies the color and attribute settings for topic words or phrases in the HELP system. The default is DmBLACK.

SAS.cparmHelpSubTopic

specifies the color and attribute settings for topic words or phrases in the HELP system. The default is DmBLACK.

SAS.cparmInfo

specifies the color and attribute settings for text that is displayed in a window as an aid to the user, for example:

Press Enter to continue

The default is DmBLACK.

SAS.cparmLabel

specifies the color and attribute settings for text that precedes a widget. For example, the text Name: in the following example is a label:

Name: ___________________

The default is DmBLACK.

SAS.cparmMark

specifies the color and attribute settings for areas that have been selected for operations such as FIND, CUT, and COPY. The default is DmBLACK/DmREVERSE.

SAS.cparmMessage

specifies the color and attribute settings for the message field. The default is DmRED.

SAS.cparmNote

specifies the color and attribute settings for NOTE: lines that are written to the Log window or the Output window. The default is DmBLUE.

SAS.cparmNumber

specifies the color and attribute settings for line numbers. The default is DmBLUE.

SAS.cparmSecondaryBackground

specifies the color and attribute settings for backgrounds in secondary windows. Secondary windows are dialog boxes or requestor windows that prompt the user. The default is DmGRAY.

SAS.cparmSecondaryBorder

specifies the color and attribute settings for the border of a secondary window. The default is DmBLACK.

SAS.cparmSource

specifies the color and attribute settings for SAS source lines that are written to the Log window. The default is DmBLACK.

SAS.cparmText

specifies the color and attribute settings for text labels for row information. You can use this resource within the SAS editor to identify editing lines and in spreadsheet windows to label spreadsheet rows. The default is DmBLUE.

SAS.cparmTitle

specifies the color and attribute settings for TITLE lines written to the Output window. The default is DmBLUE.

SAS.cparmWarning

specifies the color and attribute settings for WARNING lines written to the Log window or the Output window. The default is DmGREEN.

SAS CPARMS Resources lists the resource name, SASCOLOR window element, class name, and default for each CPARMS resource. All the resources are of the type DmColor and their default values are dynamic-that is, the default values are determined at run time.

***SAS CPARMS Resources***
Resource Name	SASCOLOR Window Element	Class Name
`SAS.cparmBackground`	Background	CparmBackground
`SAS.cparmBanner`	Banner	CparmForeground
`SAS.cparmBorder`	Border	CparmBackground
`SAS.cparmByline`	Byline	CparmForeground
`SAS.cparmColumn`	Column Label	CparmForeground
`SAS.cparmCommand`	Command	CparmForeground
`SAS.cparmData`	Data	CparmForeground
`SAS.cparmError`	Error	CparmForeground
`SAS.cparmFootnote`	Footnote	CparmForeground
`SAS.cparmForeground`	Foreground	CparmBackground
`SAS.cparmHeader`	Header	CparmForeground
`SAS.cparmHelpLink`	Help Link	CparmForeground
`SAS.cparmHelpMainTopic`	Help Main Topic	CparmForeground
`SAS.cparmHelpSubTopic`	Help Subtopic and Syntax	CparmForeground
`SAS.cparmInfo`	Informational Text	CparmForeground
`SAS.cparmLabel`	Label	CparmForeground
`SAS.cparmMark`	Selected Area	CparmForeground
`SAS.cparmMessage`	Message	CparmForeground
`SAS.cparmNote`	Note	CparmForeground
`SAS.cparmNumber`	Line Numbers	CparmForeground
`SAS.cparmSecondaryBackground`	Secondary Background	CparmForeground
`SAS.cparmSecondaryBorder`	Secondary Border	CparmForeground
`SAS.cparmSource`	Source	CparmForeground
`SAS.cparmText`	Row Label	CparmForeground
`SAS.cparmTitle`	Title	CparmForeground
`SAS.cparmWarning`	Warning	CparmForeground

Example: Defining CPARMS

The following example specifies that all background colors are gray and all foreground colors are black:

SAS.cparmBackground: DmGRAY
SAS.cparmForeground: DmBLACK

You can add to these settings to make errors red with reverse video and warnings yellow with bolding and reverse video:

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

You can further add to these settings by making the background of secondary windows white:

SAS.cparmSecondaryBackground: DmWHITE

Controlling Color 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.

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

SAS.dmsContrastCheck: [True | False]: controls whether contrast mapping is applied to non-graphic foreground colors in a SAS window. The value True specifies that DMS foreground colors will be remapped if necessary to produce a contrast. The default value is False, which disables contrast checking. Some color usage based on graphic operations is not affected by this resource.

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