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Examining the Value of the YEARCUTOFF= System Option with GETOPTION

By Michele Burlew

This example demonstrates how to obtain information about a system option with the SAS function GETOPTION and how to use that information to control the processing of a program.

The GETOPTION function allows you to check SAS options within a DATA step. You can then control processing based on the values of specific options.

The years in the data lines in this example are specified with two-digit years. Assume the code in subsequent steps requires the option YEARCUTOFF to be set to 1920. The DATA step verifies the YEARCUTOFF setting. When the value is not 1920, an ABORT RETURN statement executes and stops the program.

Original Program

data overdue; input itemid $ 1-10 +1 checkout mmddyy6. +1 duedate mmddyy6.; format checkout duedate mmddyy10.; if _n_=1 then do; yc=getoption('YEARCUTOFF'); if yc ne 1920 then do; put '***** Working with dates-YEARCUTOFF not 1920.'; abort return; end; end; if today() < duedate then output; datalines;     LIB0386 040301 050301 LIB0387 070500 071900 LIB1064 123000 013001 run;

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Using SAS Automatic Variables to Correct Errors

SAS creates SAS automatic variables when a DATA step executes. You can use these variables in your DATA step programming as you would any other variable.

You can write the values of SAS automatic variables to the SAS log to help you analyze your program and data. Your code can test the values of SAS automatic variables to direct conditional execution of DATA step statements. Automatic variables are temporary and SAS does not store them in the data sets it creates. To save the value of an automatic variable, assign its value to a data set variable.

Table 3.4 lists four automatic variables that are helpful in debugging your DATA steps. When a DATA step executes, SAS always creates the two automatic variables _ERROR_ and _N_. SAS creates the other two variables described in the table when your code includes a BY statement and input from one or more data sets. These four variables are part of the program data vector.

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Table 3.4: SAS Automatic Variables Useful in Debugging DATA Steps

Automatic Variable	Function
_ERROR_	When to use: Always review the SAS log to look for notes indicating that _ERROR_ was set to 1. Set _ERROR_ to 1 in your code for errors you want flagged in the SAS log. FIRST.variable Indicates whether the data values being processed are from the first observation in a BY group where: variable is the BY-group variable to examine.
FIRST.variable	Indicates whether the data values being processed are from the first observation in a BY group where: variable is the BY-group variable to examine. SAS sets the FIRST.variable to 1 when the current observation is the first observation in the specified BY group. Otherwise, SAS sets this variable to 0. When to use: Include in PUT statements to display information about each BY group. Use to output specific observations for later review.
LAST.variable	Indicates whether the data values being processed are from the last observation in a BY group where: variable is the BY-group variable to examine. SAS sets the LAST.variable to 1 when the current observation is the last observation in the specified BY group. Otherwise, SAS sets this variable to 0. When to use: Include in PUT statements to display information about each BY group. Use to output specific observations for later review
_N_	Retains the number of iterations of a DATA step. When to use: Include in PUT statements when displaying values of variables in the SAS log. Use to output specific observations for later review.

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Working with the _ERROR_ Automatic Variable

Your code can test the value of the _ERROR_ automatic variable to detect specific errors and then conditionally execute statements in your DATA steps.

The value of _ERROR_ is set to 0 at the start of iteration of a DATA step; SAS does not retain the value of _ERROR_ over iterations. When SAS encounters specific errors, it sets the value of _ERROR_ to 1. Your code can also set the value of _ERROR_ to 1.

When either you or SAS sets _ERROR_ to 1, SAS writes to the SAS log messages and the values in the program data vector.

The value of the system option ERRORS= determines the maximum number of observations for which SAS lists complete error messages.

For example, when ERRORS=20, SAS lists in the SAS log error messages for the first 20 observations that have errors. SAS does not identify errors in observations beyond these first 20. SAS writes a message to the SAS log when it reaches the maximum number of errors.

Once you correct the first 20 observations with errors and run the corrected DATA step again, you may find additional observations with errors after those first 20.

When SAS reads data from an external file or from data lines, it prints in the SAS log the column ruler the first time it sets _ERROR_ to 1.

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About the Author
Michele Burlew is a self-employed SAS programmer with more than 20 years of experience. She specializes in designing and programming a variety of SAS applications, and she has expertise in using many SAS products. Michele's extensive experience in developing programs and working with end users gives her keen insight into the needs of SAS software users.

Her books are available from the online bookstore.

• Debugging SAS Programs: A Handbook of Tools and Techniques
• Reading External Data Files Using SAS: Examples Handbook
• SAS Macro Programming Made Easy

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This example demonstrates how to obtain information about a system option with the SAS function GETOPTION and how to use that information to control the processing of a program. This tip is from Michele Burlew.

Type:	Sample
Topic:	Non SAS Authors ==> Michele Burlew Internal Administration ==> BBU

Date Modified:	2007-09-11 15:47:58
Date Created:	2005-02-28 12:33:08

Operating System and Release Information

Product Family	Product	Host	SAS Release
			Starting	Ending
SAS System	Base SAS	All	n/a	n/a