SUPPORT / SAMPLES & SAS NOTES
Usage Note 64422: A new environment variable, SAS_PRESERVE_EMPTY_STRING, provides options for the behavior when a blank or empty string is encountered
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When an empty string ('') is encountered in code, the SAS® textualizer converts the empty string to a blank (' ') in a query that is generated to be passed to a database management system (DBMS). A new environment variable, SAS_PRESERVE_EMPTY_STRING, has been added to enable users to choose one of the following options:
- keep the existing behavior
- allow the code that is passed to the DBMS to maintain its original syntax
The existing behavior is the default setting. If you set the option to "1" or YES, the query maintains its original syntax when an empty string is encountered.
option set=SAS_PRESERVE_EMPTY_STRING="1";
Click the Hot Fix tab in this note to access the hot fix for this issue.
Operating System and Release Information
| Product Family | Product | System | SAS Release | |
| Reported | Fixed* | |||
| SAS System | Base SAS | z/OS | 9.4 TS1M5 | |
| z/OS 64-bit | 9.4 TS1M5 | |||
| Microsoft® Windows® for x64 | 9.4 TS1M5 | |||
| Microsoft Windows 8 Enterprise 32-bit | 9.4 TS1M5 | |||
| Microsoft Windows 8 Enterprise x64 | 9.4 TS1M5 | |||
| Microsoft Windows 8 Pro 32-bit | 9.4 TS1M5 | |||
| Microsoft Windows 8 Pro x64 | 9.4 TS1M5 | |||
| Microsoft Windows 8.1 Enterprise 32-bit | 9.4 TS1M5 | |||
| Microsoft Windows 8.1 Enterprise x64 | 9.4 TS1M5 | |||
| Microsoft Windows 8.1 Pro 32-bit | 9.4 TS1M5 | |||
| Microsoft Windows 8.1 Pro x64 | 9.4 TS1M5 | |||
| Microsoft Windows 10 | 9.4 TS1M5 | |||
| Microsoft Windows Server 2008 | 9.4 TS1M5 | |||
| Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 | 9.4 TS1M5 | |||
| Microsoft Windows Server 2008 for x64 | 9.4 TS1M5 | |||
| Microsoft Windows Server 2012 Datacenter | 9.4 TS1M5 | |||
| Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2 Datacenter | 9.4 TS1M5 | |||
| Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2 Std | 9.4 TS1M5 | |||
| Microsoft Windows Server 2012 Std | 9.4 TS1M5 | |||
| Microsoft Windows Server 2016 | 9.4 TS1M5 | |||
| Windows 7 Enterprise 32 bit | 9.4 TS1M5 | |||
| Windows 7 Enterprise x64 | 9.4 TS1M5 | |||
| Windows 7 Home Premium 32 bit | 9.4 TS1M5 | |||
| Windows 7 Home Premium x64 | 9.4 TS1M5 | |||
| Windows 7 Professional 32 bit | 9.4 TS1M5 | |||
| Windows 7 Professional x64 | 9.4 TS1M5 | |||
| Windows 7 Ultimate 32 bit | 9.4 TS1M5 | |||
| Windows 7 Ultimate x64 | 9.4 TS1M5 | |||
| 64-bit Enabled AIX | 9.4 TS1M5 | |||
| 64-bit Enabled Solaris | 9.4 TS1M5 | |||
| HP-UX IPF | 9.4 TS1M5 | |||
| Linux for x64 | 9.4 TS1M5 | |||
| Solaris for x64 | 9.4 TS1M5 | |||