Usage Note 6871: Data sets in WORK library might not be deleted if SAS terminates due to
errors; might cause "Out of disk space" error messages
If you click File>Exit or click the X in the upper-right corner of the
SAS window, the session ends normally and the SAS automatic library,
WORK, where temporary data sets and utility files are stored, is
deleted. SAS retains a list of all files created during a current
SAS session and deletes the specified files on termination.
If SAS terminates due to an error in processing your SAS program,
SAS does not have the opportunity to delete files in your WORK library.
These files remain on your hard drive, potentially taking up large
amounts of disk space, until you delete these files. You might also
receive the following error message:
Out of disk space
To circumvent the problem, delete the files in your SAS WORK library.
One method is if the SAS session is still open, then submit the code:
proc datasets library=work;
delete Your-Data-Set-Name;
run; quit;
This alternate method will delete all Work files and folders left from
previous SAS sessions that terminated abnormally.
First, determine where your SAS WORK files are located by doing the one
of the following:
1. In a SAS session, type one of the statements below and then submit the SAS code:
libname work list;
proc options option=work; run;
2. Check the SAS Log window for the results.
OR
1. In a SAS session, go to the SAS Explorer window, double-click on Libraries.
2. Right mouse click on WORK and choose Properties.
3. Beside "General Properties", click the down arrow.
4. The drive letter and directories appear in the pull-down
window. All the directories, except the last directory, which
usually starts with _TD, is the location of your WORK files.
Then, to delete the files, do the following:
1. Exit all SAS sessions.
2. Through Windows Explorer, go to your SAS WORK directory as determined
previously.
3. Delete all files and sub-directories (and subsequent files) in
your WORK directory.
NOTE: This directory might be empty already.
For example, in SAS under "General Properties", or in your SAS code results, your WORK directory
might be displayed as the following:
C:\TEMP\SAS Temporary Files\_TD402
So, your WORK directory is C:\TEMP\SAS Temporary Files. In Windows
Explorer, you would go to C:\TEMP\SAS Temporary Files and you might see
directories starting with _TD. You need to delete all the files in the
_td directories and delete all the directory names starting with _td.
Note: If you have a Recycle Bin, you can empty it to permanently
remove all deleted files from your hard drive. The Recycle Bin
icon should be on your desktop. If you can't find the Recycle Bin
contact the PC support specialist at your site for instructions.
Operating System and Release Information
| SAS System | Base SAS | Microsoft Windows NT Workstation | 8 TS M0 | |
| Microsoft Windows 95/98 | 8 TS M0 | |
| Windows Millennium Edition (Me) | 8.2 TS2M0 | |
| Microsoft Windows 2000 Server | 8 TS M0 | |
| Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server | 8 TS M0 | |
| Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server | 8 TS M0 | |
| Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional | 8 TS M0 | |
*
For software releases that are not yet generally available, the Fixed
Release is the software release in which the problem is planned to be
fixed.
| Date Modified: | 2021-02-23 20:39:24 |
| Date Created: | 2002-02-06 08:44:11 |