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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, Systems Options window

Category: Input Control: INPUTCONTROL

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.

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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