Data Set Options under UNIX

Summary of SAS Data Set Options in UNIX Environments

SAS data set options are listed in the following table. The table lists the name of each option, a brief description, whether the option can be used for a data set opened for input, output, or update, and a list of engines for which the option is valid. The See column tells you where to look for more information about an option. Use the following legend to locate the additional information.

COMP	See the description of the data set option in this section.
LR	See SAS Language Reference: Dictionary.
NLS	See the SAS National Language Support (NLS): Reference Guide.

Summary of SAS Data Set Options
Option Name	Description	When Used	Engines	See
ALTER=	specifies a password for a SAS file that prevents users from replacing or deleting the file, but permits Read and Write access.	output, update	V9, V8, V6, V9TAPE, V8TAPE, V7TAPE, V6TAPE	LR, COMP
BUFNO=	specifies the number of buffers to be allocated for processing a SAS data set.	input, output, update	V9, V8, V6, V9TAPE, V8TAPE, V7TAPE, V6TAPE	LR, COMP
BUFSIZE=	specifies the size of a permanent buffer page for an output SAS data set.	output	V9, V8, V9TAPE, V8TAPE, V7TAPE, V6TAPE	LR, COMP
CNTLLEV=	specifies the level of shared access to SAS data sets.	input, update	V9, V8	LR
COMPRESS=	controls the compression of observations in a new output SAS data set.	output	V9, V8, V6, V9TAPE, V8TAPE, V7TAPE	LR
DLDMGACTION=	specifies the action to take when a SAS data set in a SAS library is detected as damaged.	input, output, update	V9, V8	LR
DROP=	for an input data set, excludes the specified variables from processing; for an output data set, excludes the specified variables from being written to the data set.	input, output, update	all	LR
ENCODING=	overrides the encoding for the input or output SAS data set.	input, output	V9, V8,V9TAPE, V8TAPE, V7TAPE	NLS
ENCRYPT=	specifies whether to encrypt an output SAS data set.	output	all	LR
FILECLOSE=	specifies how a tape is positioned when a SAS data set is closed.	input, output	V9TAPE, V8TAPE, V7TAPE, V6TAPE	LR, COMP
FIRSTOBS=	specifies the first observation that SAS processes in a SAS data set.	input, update	all	LR
GENMAX=	requests generations for a SAS data set, and specifies the maximum number of versions.	output, update	V9, V8	LR
GENNUM=	specifies a particular generation of a SAS data set.	input, output, update	V9, V8	LR
IDXNAME=	directs SAS to use a specific index to meet the conditions of a WHERE expression.	input, update	V9, V8, V6	LR
IDXWHERE=	specifies whether SAS uses an index or uses a sequential search, to match the conditions of a WHERE expression.	input, update	V9, V8, V6	LR
IN=	creates a Boolean variable that indicates whether the data set contributed data to the current observation.	input, update	all	LR
INDEX=	defines an index for a new output SAS data set.	output	V9, V8, V6, V9TAPE, V8TAPE, V7TAPE	LR
KEEP=	for an input data set, specifies the variables to process; for an output data set, specifies the variables to write to the data set.	input, output, update	all	LR
LABEL=	specifies a label for a SAS data set.	input, output, update	all	LR
OBS=	specifies the last observation that SAS processes in a data set.	input, update	all	LR
OBSBUF=	determines the size of the view buffer for processing a DATA step view.	input	V9, V8	LR
OUTREP=	specifies the data representation for the output SAS data set.	output	V9, V8, V9TAPE, V8TAPE, V7TAPE	LR , NLS
POINTOBS=	controls whether to process a compressed SAS data set by observation number or by sequential access.	output	V9, V8	LR
PW=	assigns a READ, WRITE, or ALTER password to a SAS file and enables access to a password-protected file.	input, output, update	V9, V8, V6, V9TAPE, V8TAPE, V7TAPE, V6TAPE	LR, COMP
PWREQ=	specifies whether to display a dialog box for a SAS data set password.	input, output, update	V9, V8, V6, V9TAPE, V8TAPE, V7TAPE, V6TAPE	LR
READ=	assigns a password to a SAS file and enables access to a read-protected SAS file.	input, output, update	V9, V8, V6, V9TAPE, V8TAPE, V7TAPE, V6TAPE	LR
RENAME=	changes the name of a variable.	input, output, update	all	LR
REPEMPTY=	specifies whether a new, empty data set can overwrite an existing SAS data set that has the same name.	output	V9, V8	LR
REPLACE=	specifies whether a new SAS data set that contains data can overwrite an existing data set that has the same name.	output	all	LR
REUSE=	specifies whether new observations can be written to freed space in compressed SAS data sets.	output	V9, V8, V6	LR
SORTEDBY=	indicates how the SAS data set is currently sorted.	input, output, update	V9, V8, V6, V9TAPE, V8TAPE, V7TAPE, V6TAPE	LR
SPILL=	specifies whether to create a spill file for non-sequential processing of a DATA step view.	output	V9, V8	LR
TOBSNO= (table note 1)	specifies the number of observations to send in a client/server transfer.	input, output, update	V9, V8	LR
TYPE=	specifies the data set type for a specially structured SAS data set.	input, output, update	all	LR
USEDIRECTIO=	turns on direct file I/O for the file that you specify. To use this data set option, you must specify the ENABLEDIRECTIO statement option in the LIBNAME statement where the libref was assigned.	input, output, update	V9, V8	COMP
WHERE=	selects observations in a SAS data set that match the specified conditions.	input, output, update	all	LR
WHEREUP=	specifies whether to evaluate new observations and updated observations against a WHERE expression.	output, update	V9, V8, V6	LR
WRITE=	assigns a WRITE password to a SAS data set and enables access to a write-protected SAS file.	output, update	V9, V8, V6, V9TAPE, V8TAPE, V7TAPE, V6TAPE	LR

TABLE NOTE 1: The TOBSNO= option is valid only for data sets that are accessed through a SAS server via the REMOTE engine.

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