The information in this Usage Note applies to SAS^® 9.1.3.
Please see SAS KB0036227 for instructions for using PROC PERMTEST in SAS 9.2 and 9.3.

A message of the following type can mean that an authentication failure has occurred at the host level:

20081022:15.50.27.30: 00000000:ERROR: Access denied.

PROC PERMTEST provides a low-level tool to test authentication, and you can use it to determine if the authentication problem is in fact occurring at the host level.

It functions in two parts: It calls the sasauth module to test host-based authentication, then to test user permissions.

To run PROC PERMTEST, invoke SAS from the SAS_9.1 directory as follows:

./sas -path ./utilities/src/auth -nodms

In NODMS mode, you are prompted with a ? for SAS statements. As shown in the example below, enter the PROC PERMTEST; statement, followed by a RUN; statement.

When prompted, enter the userid and password to be tested.

If the authentication test is successful, then the host authentication is working properly. If the authentication test fails, however, then your UNIX system administrator must determine why host authentication is failing.

Next, the permissions test begins. This will show whether or not the user has appropriate permissions, allowing a file to be written. When prompted, enter the absolute path to a location where a file can be created.

NOTE: If you do not give an absolute path, an attempt is made to create the file in the !SASROOT directory. Most users do not have write permissions for that directory, so the test will fail. Avoid this problem by giving an absolute path.

Following is an example of the output PROC PERMTEST generates:

       1? proc permtest;
      2? run;
     Authentication Test
     Enter userid:
     testuser
     Enter password:
     Authentication successful.

     Permissions Test
     Enter a scratch filename:
     /tmp/testfile
     Test file written successfully.

     NOTE: PROCEDURE PERMTEST used (Total process time):
           real time           36.15 seconds
           cpu time            0.01 seconds
      

       3? endsas;

     NOTE: SAS Institute Inc., SAS Campus Drive, Cary, NC USA 27513-2414
     NOTE: The SAS System used:
           real time           48.67 seconds
           cpu time            0.06 seconds