BUG ALERT! For Hash and MBL users

[Kurt_Bremser]

When using the OUTPUT() method to write a dataset to a metadata-bound and encrypted library, the dataset ends up with zero observations and zero variables. Using the identical code to write to a "normal" library (e.g. WORK) produces the expected dataset with observations and variables as stored in the hash object.

There is a peculiar difference in the log:

Successful:

28         data _null_;
29         set sashelp.class end=done;
30         if _n_ = 1 then do;
31           declare hash c ();
32           c.definekey("name");
33           c.definedata("name","sex");
34           c.definedone();
35         end;
36         rc = c.add();
37         if done then rc = c.output(dataset:"class");
38         run;
 
NOTE: The data set WORK.CLASS has 19 observations and 2 variables.
NOTE: There were 19 observations read from the data set SASHELP.CLASS.
NOTE:  Verwendet wurde: DATA statement - (Gesamtverarbeitungszeit):
      real time           0.01 seconds
      cpu time            0.00 seconds
 

Not successful, with MBL:

28         data _null_;
29         set sashelp.class end=done;
30         if _n_ = 1 then do;
31           declare hash c ();
32           c.definekey("name");
33           c.definedata("name","sex");
34           c.definedone();
35         end;
36         rc = c.add();
37         if done then rc = c.output(dataset:"xxxx.class");
38         run;
 
NOTE: Metadata-bound library permissions are used for XXXX.CLASS.DATA.
NOTE: Successfully added new secured table object with SASTableName and MemberType "CLASS.DATA" to the secured library object at
      path "/System/Secured Libraries/XXXX/XXXX" for data set XXXX.CLASS.DATA.
NOTE: This metadata-bound library requires AES encryption with its recorded key. The recorded algorithm is used.
NOTE: There were 19 observations read from the data set SASHELP.CLASS.
NOTE: The data set XXXX.CLASS has 0 observations and 0 variables.
NOTE:  Verwendet wurde: DATA statement - (Gesamtverarbeitungszeit):
      real time           0.03 seconds
      cpu time            0.02 seconds

(library name redacted).

As you can see, there may be a timing issue involved, as the success reports the output dataset first, while the failure reports it last.

A track will be opened with SAS Technical Support.

PS the issue was encountered on SAS 9.4M7 on AIX.

[mkeintz]

Out of curiousity.

"metadata-bound and encrypted"?   I presume that metadata-bound and unencrypted will properly honor the output method, yes?   (I've never had to work in the metadata-enable sas environment).  

[Kurt_Bremser]

I can only state this for MBL and encrypted. All our permanent libraries are MBL and encrypted because our server farm is outsourced (external people have superuser access, so we need to protect our data). It may be that it is the encryption, but it may also be that the MBL alone is the deciding factor in this.

[SASKiwi]

@Kurt_Bremser  - I note you are testing with a SASHELP dataset which I assume is a non-MBL. Just out of curiosity do you get the same behaviour both reading from and writing to an MBL?