Summary of SAS Data Set Options in UNIX Environments

SAS data set options are listed in the following table. The table gives the name of each option; a brief description; whether the option can be used for a data set opened for input, output, or update; and a list of engines with which the option is valid. The See column tells you where to look for more detailed information about an option. Use the following legend to see where to find more information about an option.

COMP	See the description of the data set option in this section.
LR	See SAS Language Reference: Dictionary .
NLS	See SAS National Language Support (NLS): User's Guide .

Table 10.1: Summary of SAS Data Set Options

Option Name	Description	When Used	Engines	See
ALTER=	assigns an alter password to a SAS file	output, update	V9, V8, V7, V6	LR, COMP
BUFNO=	specifies the number of buffers to be allocated for processing a SAS data set	input, output, update	V9, V8, V7, V6, V9TAPE, V8TAPE, V7TAPE, V6TAPE	LR, COMP
BUFSIZE=	specifies the permanent buffer page size for an output SAS data set	output	V9, V8, V7, V9TAPE, V8TAPE, V7TAPE, V6TAPE	LR, COMP
CNTLLEV=	specifies the level of shared access to SAS data sets	input, update	V9, V8, V7	LR
COMPRESS=	compresses observations in an output SAS data set.	output	V9, V8, V7, V6, V9TAPE, V8TAPE, V7TAPE	LR
DLDMGACTION=	specifies which action to take when a SAS catalog in a SAS data library is detected as damaged.	input, output, update	V9, V8, V7	LR
DROP=	excludes variables from processing or from output SAS data sets.	input, output, update	all	LR
ENCODING=	Specifies the character-set encoding to use for processing a particular input or output SAS data set	input, output	V9, V8, V7, V9TAPE, V8TAPE, V7TAPE	NLS
ENCRYPT=	encrypts SAS data files	output	all	LR
FILECLOSE=	specifies how a tape is positioned when a SAS file on the tape is closed	input, output	V9TAPE, V8TAPE, V7TAPE, V6TAPE	LR, COMP
FIRSTOBS=	causes processing to begin at a specified observation	input, update	all	LR
GENMAX=	requests generations for a data set and specifies the maximum number of versions	output, update	V9, V8, V7	LR
GENNUM=	references a specific generation of a data set	input, output, update	V9, V8, V7	LR
IDXNAME=	directs SAS to use a specific index to satisfy the conditions of a WHERE expression	input, update	V9, V8, V7, V6	LR
IDXWHERE=	overrides the SAS decision whether to use an index to satisfy the conditions of a WHERE expression	input, update	V9, V8, V7, V6	LR
IN=	creates a variable that indicates whether the data set contributed data to the current observation	input, update	all	LR
INDEX=	defines indexes when creating a data set	output	V9, V8, V7, V6, V9TAPE, V8TAPE, V7TAPE	LR
KEEP=	specifies variables for processing or writing to output SAS data sets	input, output, update	all	LR
LABEL=	specifies a label for the data set	input, output, update	all	LR
OBS=	specifies the last observation of the data set to process	input, update	all	LR
OBSBUF=	determines the size of the view buffer for processing a DATA step view	input	V9, V8, V7	LR
OUTREP=	specifies the data representation for the output SAS data set	output	V9, V8, V7, V9TAPE, V8TAPE, V7TAPE	LR
POINTOBS=	controls whether a compressed data set may be processed with random access (by observation number) rather than sequential access only	output	V9, V8, V7	LR
PW=	assigns a read, write, and alter password to a SAS file	input, output, update	V9, V8, V7, V6, V9TAPE, V8TAPE, V7TAPE, V6TAPE	LR, COMP
PWREQ=	controls the pop up of a requestor window for a data set password	input, output, update	V9, V8, V7, V6 V9TAPE, V8TAPE, V7TAPE, V6TAPE	LR
READ=	assigns a read password to a SAS file	input, output, update	V9, V8, V7, V6, V9TAPE, V8TAPE, V7TAPE, V6TAPE	LR
RENAME=	changes the name of a variable	input, output, update	all	LR
REPEMPTY=	controls replacement of like-named temporary or permanent SAS data sets when the new one is empty	output	V9, V8, V7	LR
REPLACE=	controls replacement of like-named temporary or permanent SAS data sets	output	all	LR
REUSE=	specifies reuse of space when observations are added to a compressed data set	output	V9, V8, V7, V6	LR
SORTEDBY=	specifies how the data set is currently sorted	input, output, update	V9, V8, V7, V6, V9TAPE, V8TAPE, V7TAPE, V6TAPE	LR
SORTSEQ=	specifies the collating sequence to be used by the SORT procedure	input, output, update	V9, V8, V7	NLS
SPILL=	specifies whether to create a spill file for non-sequential processing of a DATA step view	output	V9, V8, V7	LR
TOBSNO= [1]	specifies the number of observations to be transmitted in each multi-observation exchange with a SAS server	input, output, update	V9, V8, V7	LR
TYPE=	specifies the data set type for data that is used by some SAS/STAT procedures	input, output, update	all	LR
WHERE=	selects observations that meet the specified condition	input, output, update	all	LR
WHEREUP=	specifies whether to evaluate added observations and modified observations against a WHERE clause	output, update	V9, V8, V7, V6	LR
WRITE=	assigns a write password to a SAS file	output, update	V9, V8, V7, V6 V9TAPE, V8TAPE, V7TAPE, V6TAPE	LR
[1] The TOBSNO= option is valid only for data sets that are accessed through a SAS server via the REMOTE engine.