NULLCHAR= Data Set Option

Indicates how missing character values are handled during insert, update, DBINDEX=, and DBKEY= processing.

Valid in:	DATA and PROC steps
Default:	SAS
Supports:	DB2 under UNIX and PC, Greenplum, MySQL, ODBC, Oracle, Teradata

Syntax

Syntax Description

Details

Syntax

NULLCHAR= SAS | YES | NO

Syntax Description

SAS

indicates that missing character values are treated as null values if the DBMS allows null values. Otherwise, they are treated as the NULLCHARVAL= value.

YES

indicates that missing character values are treated as null values if the DBMS allows null values. Otherwise, an error is returned.

NO

indicates that missing character values are treated as the NULLCHARVAL= value (regardless of whether the DBMS allows null values for the column).

Details

This option affects insert and update processing and also applies when you use the DBINDEX= and DBKEY= options.

This option works in conjunction with the NULLCHARVAL= data set option, which determines what is inserted when null values are not allowed.

All missing numeric values (represented in SAS as '.') are treated by the DBMS as null values.