BookmarkSubscribeRSS Feed
🔒 This topic is solved and locked. Need further help from the community? Please sign in and ask a new question.
Mike_B
Obsidian | Level 7

I thought I understood how the memtype option in proc datasets worked, but I guess I was wrong. My program creates lots of temporary datasets as well as some formats and macros. I need to delete most--but not all--of the datasets after each iteration of a particular macro, but I need to save some sets and all formats and macros. I thought memtype=data would exclude macros and formats from deletion, but the formats are still getting deleted. What am I doing wrong?

 

proc datasets lib=work nolist;
	save c final: template: / memtype=data; *these are all data sets;
quit;

Thanks

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Accepted Solutions
AMSAS
SAS Super FREQ

@Mike_B Here's a simple example that explains what is happening 

See bullet #2 In Subordinate Statements:

after a slash (/) at the end of the statement. When used following a slash, the MEMTYPE= option refers to all SAS files named in the statement unless the option appears in parentheses after the name of a SAS file. For example, the following statement deletes Lotpix.catalog, Regions.data, and Appl.catalog:

delete lotpix regions(memtype=data) appl / memtype=catalog;

 

i.e. MEMTYPE applies to the datasets you have listed in the SAVE statement 

 

In the example below, I create a formats catalog and a formats dataset, when the PROC DATASETS executes it will delete the formats catalog as the MEMTYP=DATA tells it only to save the FORMATS dataset

Hope this helps

 

 

proc format ;
	value
		$sex "M"="Male" "F"="Female" ;
run ;

data work.test1 ;
	do i=1 to 5 ;
		output ;
	end ;
run ;

data work.test2 ;
	do i=1 to 5 ;
		output ;
	end ;
run ;

data work.formats ;
	do i=1 to 5 ;
		output ;
	end ;
run ;

proc datasets lib=work nolist ;	
	save test2  formats / memtype=data; /* memtype only applies to the list of datasets in the SAVe statement */
	                                    /* i.e. the formats dataset is not deleted but the formats catalog is */
quit;

 

 

View solution in original post

2 REPLIES 2
AMSAS
SAS Super FREQ

@Mike_B Here's a simple example that explains what is happening 

See bullet #2 In Subordinate Statements:

after a slash (/) at the end of the statement. When used following a slash, the MEMTYPE= option refers to all SAS files named in the statement unless the option appears in parentheses after the name of a SAS file. For example, the following statement deletes Lotpix.catalog, Regions.data, and Appl.catalog:

delete lotpix regions(memtype=data) appl / memtype=catalog;

 

i.e. MEMTYPE applies to the datasets you have listed in the SAVE statement 

 

In the example below, I create a formats catalog and a formats dataset, when the PROC DATASETS executes it will delete the formats catalog as the MEMTYP=DATA tells it only to save the FORMATS dataset

Hope this helps

 

 

proc format ;
	value
		$sex "M"="Male" "F"="Female" ;
run ;

data work.test1 ;
	do i=1 to 5 ;
		output ;
	end ;
run ;

data work.test2 ;
	do i=1 to 5 ;
		output ;
	end ;
run ;

data work.formats ;
	do i=1 to 5 ;
		output ;
	end ;
run ;

proc datasets lib=work nolist ;	
	save test2  formats / memtype=data; /* memtype only applies to the list of datasets in the SAVe statement */
	                                    /* i.e. the formats dataset is not deleted but the formats catalog is */
quit;

 

 

Mike_B
Obsidian | Level 7

Thank you. I modified (below), and it now saves the format catalog as well as the data files.

proc datasets lib=work nolist memtype=(data catalog);
  save c final: template: formats;
quit;

hackathon24-white-horiz.png

The 2025 SAS Hackathon Kicks Off on June 11!

Watch the live Hackathon Kickoff to get all the essential information about the SAS Hackathon—including how to join, how to participate, and expert tips for success.

YouTube LinkedIn

What is Bayesian Analysis?

Learn the difference between classical and Bayesian statistical approaches and see a few PROC examples to perform Bayesian analysis in this video.

Find more tutorials on the SAS Users YouTube channel.

SAS Training: Just a Click Away

 Ready to level-up your skills? Choose your own adventure.

Browse our catalog!

Discussion stats
  • 2 replies
  • 2485 views
  • 3 likes
  • 2 in conversation