The BUILD Procedure

BUILD Command

Initiates a BUILD session.

BUILD <<libref.>catalog-name<.entry-name<.entry-type>>>

<RESOURCE=<libref.catalog-name.>resource-name<.RESOURCE>>

Options

You can specify the following optional arguments with the BUILD command:

<libref.>catalog-name<.entry-name<.entry-type>>

specifies the catalog or catalog entry to open. Argument values are interpreted as follows:

A one-level name (catalog-name) identifies a catalog in the default library, WORK. Remember that the contents of the WORK library are deleted when the SAS session ends.
A two-level name (libref.catalog-name) identifies a catalog in a specified library.
A three-level name (libref.catalog-name.entry-name) identifies a PROGRAM entry in a specified catalog.
A four-level name (libref.catalog-name.entry-name.entry-type) identifies an entry of a specified type in a specified catalog.

The form of the argument determines which window the BUILD command opens, as follows:

If you supply a one- or two-level name, an Explorer window opens to display the contents of the catalog. You can then select an existing entry in the catalog to edit, or you can create a new catalog entry.
If you supply a three-level name, the DISPLAY window opens for editing the specified PROGRAM entry.
If you supply a four-level name, the appropriate window opens for the specified entry type.

See BUILD Procedure Windows for information about the corresponding window for each entry type. If you specify an entry name that does not already exist, a new entry of the specified type is created. Refer to SAS/AF Catalog Entry Types for information about the uses of the different catalog entry types.

If you issue a BUILD command with no catalog or entry name argument, a SAS Explorer window opens, from which you can select a library and catalog and then either select an existing catalog entry or create a new catalog entry.

RESOURCE=<libref.catalog-name.>resource-name<.RESOURCE>

specifies the RESOURCE entry that is associated with any FRAME entries you create during the BUILD session. By default, new FRAME entries use the RESOURCE entry that is specified in the SAS registry. You can use the BUILD= option to override the default for the current BUILD session. The resource-name value must be the name of an existing RESOURCE entry. If you omit the libref.catalog-name value, the procedure looks for the specified RESOURCE entry in the current catalog (the catalog that was specified in the BUILD command's catalog-name argument).

Note: You can use the RESOURCE command in a BUILD procedure window to change the default RESOURCE entry during the BUILD session. [cautionend]

Using the BUILD Command

The BUILD command can be issued from any SAS window. Each BUILD command starts a separate BUILD session, so you can have several BUILD sessions running at the same time, each building different entries in the same or different catalogs. If you attempt to open an entry that is already open for editing in a different BUILD session, it is opened for browsing rather than editing.

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