BUFSIZE=

BUFSIZE=

Specifies a permanent buffer size for output SAS data sets

Valid in: DATA step and PROC steps

Category: Data Set Control

Restriction: Use with output data sets only.

Syntax
Syntax Description
Details
Comparisons
See Also

Syntax

BUFSIZE=number-of-bytes

Syntax Description

number-of-bytes: specifies the minimum number of bytes in a page in the data set. The number of bytes can have a value from 0, the system default, to the maximum value allowed by your operating environment. If the value is 0, SAS chooses an operating environment default that is optimal for the SAS data set. If any value you specify is not adequate, SAS automatically rounds up to the next buffer size for the data set.

Details

The BUFSIZE= data set option is valid only for output data sets, that is, data sets that are created in a DATA step or by a SAS procedure.

The buffer size, or page size, determines the size of a single input/output buffer that SAS uses to transfer data during processing. A page is the minimum number of bytes of data that SAS moves between external storage and memory in one logical input/output operation. Once it is specified, the buffer size is a permanent attribute of the data set, and the specified buffer size is used whenever the data set is processed. To change the buffer size, use a DATA step to copy the data set and either specify a new buffer size or use the SAS default.

Note: If you use the COPY procedure to copy a data set to another library that is allocated with a different engine, the specified buffer size of the data set is not retained. [cautionend]

Operating Environment Information: For details, see the SAS documentation for your operating environment for minimum and maximum buffer size values. [cautionend]

Note: Using the BUFSIZE= option can speed up execution time by reducing the number of times SAS has to read from or write to the storage medium. However, the improvement in execution time comes at the cost of increased memory consumption. [cautionend]

Comparisons

If the BUFSIZE= data set option is not specified, then the value of the BUFSIZE= system option is used. If both are specified in the same SAS session, the BUFSIZE= data set option overrides the value specified for the BUFSIZE= system option.

See Also

Data Set Options:

BUFNO=

System Options:

BUFSIZE=

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Valid in:	DATA step and PROC steps
Category:	Data Set Control
Restriction:	Use with output data sets only.