An EMF graph that is created using dashed lines cannot be edited outside of SAS®


Beginning with the SAS® 9.4 maintenance release, an Enhanced Metafile Format (EMF) graph that is created using dashed lines cannot be edited outside of SAS. In Microsoft applications such as Word and PowerPoint, the graph disappears after you right-click on the graph and choose Edit Picture and then click Yes for the following prompt:

This is an imported picture, not a group. Do you want to convert it to a Microsoft Office drawing object?


Note that this issue occurs when you use SAS/GRAPH® procedures such as GCHART and GPLOT with the EMF device driver. It also occurs with the SAS SG procedures (such as SGPLOT) and ODS Graphics when you use OUTPUTFMT=EMF in the ODS GRAPHICS statement.        

To circumvent this issue, first add the following statements to the top of your existing SAS code:

%let workdir=%trim(%sysfunc(pathname(work)));
data _null_;
   file "&workdir./emf94.sasxreg";
   put '[CORE\PRINTING\PRINTERS\EMF\ADVANCED]';
   put '"Description"="Enhanced Metafile Format"';
   put '"Metafile Type"="EMF"';
   put '"Vector Alpha"=int:0';
   put '"Image 32"=int:1';
run;
proc registry import="&workdir./emf94.sasxreg";
run;


Then modify the SAS code that creates the graph output so that the graph is created with all solid lines instead of dashed lines.  

Note: SAS is not able to provide a fix for this issue. The issue itself must be addressed with Microsoft.