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DATASTMTCHK=

DATASTMTCHK=


Prevents certain errors by controlling the SAS keywords that are allowed in the DATA statement

Valid in: configuration file, SAS invocation, OPTIONS statement, System Options window
Category: Files: SAS files
PROC OPTIONS GROUP= SASFILES

Syntax
Syntax Description
Details

Syntax

DATASTMTCHK=COREKEYWORDS | ALLKEYWORDS | NONE

Syntax Description

COREKEYWORDS
(default) prohibits certain words as one-level SAS data set names in the DATA statement. They can appear as two-level names, however. When you specify COREKEYWORDS, the keywords that cannot appear as one-level SAS data set names are
MERGE
RETAIN
SET
UPDATE.
For example, SET is not acceptable in the DATA statement, but SAVE.SET and WORK.SET are acceptable.

ALLKEYWORDS
prohibits any keyword that can begin a statement in the DATA step (for example, ABORT, ARRAY, INFILE) as a one-level data set name in the DATA statement.

NONE
provides no protection against overwriting SAS data sets.

Details

It is possible to wipe out unintentionally an input data set when you omit a semicolon on the DATA statement. If the next statement is SET, MERGE, or UPDATE, the original data set is overwritten. Different, but significant, problems arise when the next statement is RETAIN. DATASTMTCHK= enables you to protect yourself against overwriting the input data set.


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Copyright 1999 by SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA. All rights reserved.