topic Re: Lock not available for a dataset in SAS Programming

Lock not available for a dataset

hexx18 — Wed, 19 Feb 2020 03:21:40 GMT

Hi ,

I am running below query but I get an ERROR Lock not available . Can anyone please help .

libname mylib 'serverY\DATA\TEST';

PROC SQL ;
CONNECT TO ODBC (DATAsrc=XXXX USER = XXX PASSWORD = XXX);
CREATE TABLE mylib.Apple AS
SELECT * FROM CONNECTION TO ODBC
(
Select account,
member

from database.table d
);
quit;

NOTE : Table mylib.Apple created with 100 rows and 20 columns

data mylib.Apple;
SET mylib.Apple;
RUN;

ERROR: A lock is not available from mylib.Apple

Thank you

Re: Lock not available for a dataset

ChrisNZ — Wed, 19 Feb 2020 02:26:09 GMT

1. How is library LIB defined?

2. The code does not match the message. There is no table LIB.X in your code.

Re: Lock not available for a dataset

Kurt_Bremser — Wed, 19 Feb 2020 08:30:18 GMT

Steps like this:

data mylib.Apple;
SET mylib.Apple;
RUN;

are always dangerous in several aspects. Create a new dataset.

You might get a timing problem in your network share, so that it "thinks" the file is still open when SAS has in fact finished writing to it. Welcome to the world of Windoze.

Re: Lock not available for a dataset

ChrisNZ — Wed, 19 Feb 2020 09:20:52 GMT

LIB is a probably a non-SAS library. As there is no reply we'll never know...

Re: Lock not available for a dataset

hexx18 — Wed, 19 Feb 2020 09:52:06 GMT

Its just an example I have it there for library name mylib

Thanks

Re: Lock not available for a dataset

Kurt_Bremser — Wed, 19 Feb 2020 09:53:38 GMT

The OP was edited, and the libname seems to point to a UNC network share.

Re: Lock not available for a dataset

Kurt_Bremser — Wed, 19 Feb 2020 09:56:34 GMT

The engine and/or path used for your target library is crucial in determining the probable cause for your problem. But the momentary solution is to not overwrite the source dataset in one step, as I already mentioned, and this is also proper coding technique.

Re: Lock not available for a dataset

ChrisNZ — Wed, 19 Feb 2020 20:39:00 GMT

@Kurt_Bremser It doesn't even look like a UNC path either.

It looks like a game of "I give incomplete information with typos and mismatches but please solve my problem".

@hexx18 As described, it's really weird and Kurt's explanation is plausible.

Or Maybe adding a disconnect would help?

If not, as a workaround and until a better solution is found, don't overwrite the table.