Getting Started with SAS under OpenVMS

Interrupting a SAS Session under OpenVMS

If you are running SAS with the SAS Explorer window in the SAS windowing environment, in interactive line mode, or in noninteractive mode, then you can interrupt your SAS session by pressing CTRL+Y. This is called an attention sequence.

Note: CTRL+Y and CTRL+C function identically. You can follow this same procedure to interrupt a SAS task. [cautionend]

After you press CTRL+Y, SAS will issue a message. The content of the message depends on the interface you are using and on what task SAS is performing at the time of the interruption. Usually these messages appear immediately after you press CTRL+Y.

Note: If you have to wait a few seconds for these messages, do not repeatedly press CTRL+Y. If you press CTRL+Y more than once, or if you press CTRL+Y while SAS is in the process of initializing or shutting down, the files in the WORK library might not be deleted. In this case, you must use the CLEANUP tool to delete them. For more information, see The CLEANUP Tool. [cautionend]

How SAS Processes Temporary Work Files

When you end your SAS session with a CTRL+Y, usually all temporary Work files are properly deleted. In noninteractive mode, if you interrupt a SAS session, the .LOG and .LIS files are retained, up to the point where you pressed CTRL+Y.

Interactive Line Mode Options

In interactive line mode after pressing CTRL+Y, you will receive the following message:

Select:
  1. Line Mode Process
  2. DATASTEP
  C. Cancel
  T. Terminate System

The following table describes each of these options.

Options When Interrupting an Interactive SAS Session
Selection	Result
1	You will see the following instructions: Press Y to cancel submitted statements, N to continue. If you type Y , SAS cancels the statements that were submitted. If you type N , the statements will continue executing.
2	You will see the following instructions: Press Y to halt DATA step/proc, N to continue. If you type Y , SAS stops processing the DATA step or procedure. If you type N , the DATA step or procedure will continue executing.
C	The interruption (begun by pressing CTRL+Y) is canceled.
T	Your SAS session is terminated.

Windowing Environment Options

In the SAS windowing environment after pressing CTRL+Y, you will receive the following message:

Select:
  1. DMS Process
  2. Language Processor
  3. DATASTEP
  C. Cancel
  T. Terminate System

The following table describes each of these options.

Options When Interrupting a Session in the SAS Windowing Environment
Selection	Result
1	You will see the following instructions: Press Y to terminate this SAS process, N to continue. If you type Y , you will terminate the SAS process. If you type N , the process will continue executing.
2	You will see the following instructions: Press Y to cancel submitted statements, N to continue. If you type Y , SAS cancels the statements that were submitted. If you type N , the statements will continue executing.
3	You will see the following instructions: Press Y to halt data step/proc, N to continue. If you type Y , SAS stops processing the DATA step or procedure. If you type N , the DATA step or procedure will continue executing.
C	The interruption (begun by pressing CTRL+Y) is canceled.
T	Your SAS session is terminated.

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