In general, when you run SAS in noninteractive or batch mode, program
steps that encounter errors cause SAS to set the OBS= system option to 0
(zero) and enter syntax check mode.

Whether subsequent steps are executed when processing in noninteractive
or batch mode depends on:  the type of error, whether an output data set
is being created by the step that encountered the error, your operating
system environment, and whether the SAS system option of ERRORABEND or
NOSYNTAXCHECK is specified.

In SAS, there are 5 types of errors:  syntax, semantic, execution-time,
data and macro-related.  For a complete description of each type of
error, see Chapter 15, "Error Processing and Debugging" in the SAS
Language Reference: Concepts, Version 8.  For information specific to
the operating system you are executing SAS on, see the SAS Companion for
your operating environment.

Operating System and Release Information