SAS Companion for the OS/390 Environment

Deallocating SAS Data Libraries

The method you use to deallocate a SAS data library depends on how it was allocated.

To deallocate a SAS data library that was allocated with a LIBNAME statement or LIBNAME function, issue a LIBNAME statement or function in the following form, using the libref for the data library that you want to deallocate:

LIBNAME libref <CLEAR>;

This statement deassigns the libref and deallocates the library only if no other librefs are assigned to that library.
Note: Librefs that were assigned by a LIBNAME statement or LIBNAME function are cleared automatically at the end of your SAS session.
To deallocate a library that was allocated with a TSO command, first issue a LIBNAME statement or LIBNAME function to "clear" (deassign) the libref, as shown above. Then issue an operating environment command that "frees" (deallocates) the data set.
For example, suppose that a SAS data library with the libref MYLIB is stored in the operating environment data set MYID.RECENT.DATA. The following two statements would clear the libref and deallocate the operating environment data set:
```
libname mylib clear; 
x free da('myid.recent.data');
```
If the data library is currently being used by a DATA step or PROC, the attempt to deallocate the library fails.
You can deallocate a SAS data library in the SAS EXPLORER window by selecting the DELETE menu.

Note: If multiple librefs have been assigned to the same operating environment data set, the data set is not deallocated until all librefs assigned to the data set have been cleared. [cautionend]

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