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Kastchei
Pyrite | Level 9
I am also having this issue. It's gotten so that if I run any program of moderate length, it will fail. I have to run small sections at a time, which simply is not possible for programs I have which are over 2000 lines. Has there been any hotfix for this yet?
sbb
Lapis Lazuli | Level 10 sbb
Lapis Lazuli | Level 10
For these forums, it's best to own your personal posts, and add links to other prior posts.

More important, as was previously recommended, you will be best served here by sharing (pasting in your "new post") the SAS-generate log with all SAS code revealed.

Of course, an alternative to consider is open a SAS tech support track and provide them your details, as required.


Scott Barry
SBBWorks, Inc.
Kastchei
Pyrite | Level 9
Thanks for the reply. Since the last post about this was 2 years ago, I was hoping that perhaps there was a hotfix. There's nothing special or constant about the code I have that creates this error, so posting a log isn't going to resolve anything. I was more just curious if there has been any official update, as opposed to finding a personal solution.

(I know the party-line with any kind of computer anomaly is to plug it in, reboot, defreg, check harddrive, check memory, virus scan, malware scan, etc. But, be assured there is nothing wrong with my computer or code. 😄 )
rickpaulos
Obsidian | Level 7

2013 and I am having this same problem.  XP SP3.  SAS 9.3 TS Level 1MO.

My troubles started last year, possibly when a windows update was applied. (Automatic updates are required where I work).  I've since removed SAS v9.1 and installed a newer version (9.3)  but the problem continues.  Other co-workers using win7 report no trouble.  Makes me think it's XP related.

If I run my programs 1 data step or 1 proc at a time, all works fine.  When I try to run my entire program in 1 submit, it generates the error most of the time but not always?.  An immediate re-Submit may or may not generate the error.  and so on.

No Diskeeper. No UNC's.  Have full read/write/create/delete access to the temporary folder on my C drive.  Plenty of disk space.

I opened up My Computer to monitor the files in the SAS created temporary folder which reveals the work.filename in question is still locked from the previous DATA step or data set modifying procedure. This is 100% consistent, locked file = error.  It is like XP can't keep up with SAS creates/writes.   I wonder if SAS is multi threading to speed up and is getting ahead of the operating system's writing and closing of the file before SAS tries to open it again.  Is there an option to turn on/off multitasking?  Or is there some XP setting to write files immediately instead of buffering writes? Note that SAS generates a random name for that temporary folder for each session so you can't make a shortcut for it.

To see the .lck filename extension added to the temporary work.filename you may need to change My Computer view settings:

My Computer, Tools, Folder Options, View tab, unselect "Hide extensions for known file types"

and to see the temp work folders:

My Computer, Tools, Folder Options, View tab, select "Display the contents of system folders"

I tried to use a "LOCK work.filename CLEAR" statement but the resulting SAS error suggest I can only unlock files that I locked, not files locked by SAS.

I added a RUN statement at the end of every DATA step so I can submit each data step or PROC separately for debugging.

The most reliable fix is to modify my programs so I create a new data set with each and every data step and proc sort.

Log from a recent failed run:

581  DATA a;

582    INFILE "m:\rpaulos\bone\data\wave123456\2013.02.21.summary.txt"

583            DLM="," DSD PAD MISSOVER FIRSTOBS=2 LRECL=5000;

584    INFORMAT today mmddyy10.;

585    FORMAT today mmddyy10.;

586    LENGTH DayOfWeek WeekDayend WamStartTime CSAfilename WamMode $ 15;

587    LENGTH WamSerial $ 20;

588    INPUT Id Wave Today DayOfWeek WeekDayEnd WamStartTime WamSerial WamMode

588! CsaFilename DayOn DayOff

589          ReadingCount DailySum TimeWorn TimeNotWorn

590          MovementsGt0 Movements0to99 MovementsGt99

591          SedentaryMovements LightMovements ModerateMovements

591! VigorousMovements ExtremeMovements

592          Average AverageGT0 AverageGT99

593          SedentarySum LightSum ModerateSum VigorousSum ExtremeSum

594          BoutSedentary10 BoutSedentary20 BoutModerate5 BoutModerate10

595          AMon AMoff AMsum AMTimeWorn AMTimeNotWorn

596          AMMovementsGT0 AMMovements0to99 AMMovementsGT99

597          AMSedentaryMovements AMLightMovements AMModerateMovements

597! AMVigorousMovements AMExtremeMovements

598          AMAverage AMAverageGT0 AMAverageGT99

599          AMSedentarySum AMLightSum AMModerateSum AMVigorousSum AMExtremeSum

600          MMon MMoff MMsum MMTimeWorn MMTimeNotWorn

601          MMMovementsGT0 MMMovements0to99 MMMovementsGT99

602          MMSedentaryMovements MMLightMovements MMModerateMovements

602! MMVigorousMovements MMExtremeMovements

603          MMAverage MMAverageGT0 MMAverageGT99 MMSedentarySum MMLightSum

603! MMModerateSum MMVigorousSum

604          MMExtremeSum

605          PMon PMoff PMsum PMTimeWorn PMTimeNotWorn

606          PMMovementsGT0 PMMovements0to99 PMMovementsGT99

607          PMSedentaryMovements PMLightMovements PMModerateMovements

607! PMVigorousMovements PMExtremeMovements

608          PMAverage PMAverageGT0 PMAverageGT99

609          PMSedentarySum PMLightSum PMModerateSum PMVigorousSum PMExtremeSum

609!  ;

610  RUN;

NOTE: The infile "m:\rpaulos\bone\data\wave123456\2013.02.21.summary.txt" is:

      Filename=m:\rpaulos\bone\data\wave123456\2013.02.21.summary.txt,

      RECFM=V,LRECL=5000,File Size (bytes)=7077230,

      Last Modified=21Feb2013:13:21:24,

      Create Time=21Feb2013:13:15:36

NOTE: 12051 records were read from the infile

      "m:\rpaulos\bone\data\wave123456\2013.02.21.summary.txt".

      The minimum record length was 475.

      The maximum record length was 638.

NOTE: The data set WORK.A has 12051 observations and 98 variables.

NOTE: DATA statement used (Total process time):

      real time           2.56 seconds

      cpu time            0.79 seconds

611  *** count number of days per subject & wave ***;

612  PROC SORT;

613    BY wave id DESCENDING today;

614  RUN;

NOTE: There were 12051 observations read from the data set WORK.A.

NOTE: The data set WORK.A has 12051 observations and 98 variables.

NOTE: PROCEDURE SORT used (Total process time):

      real time           0.17 seconds

      cpu time            0.17 seconds

615  DATA a;

616    SET a;

617    BY wave id;

618    RETAIN DayCount;

619    IF FIRST.id THEN DayCount = 0;

620    DayCount = Daycount + 1;

621  RUN;

NOTE: There were 12051 observations read from the data set WORK.A.

NOTE: The data set WORK.A has 12051 observations and 99 variables.

NOTE: DATA statement used (Total process time):

      real time           0.15 seconds

      cpu time            0.15 seconds

622  *** resort ***;

623  PROC SORT ;

624    BY wave id today;

625  RUN;

NOTE: There were 12051 observations read from the data set WORK.A.

NOTE: The data set WORK.A has 12051 observations and 99 variables.

NOTE: PROCEDURE SORT used (Total process time):

      real time           0.78 seconds

      cpu time            0.17 seconds

626  *** assign dayscount to all obs per person per wave ***;

627  DATA a;

628    SET a;

629    BY wave id;

630    RETAIN DaysCount;

631    IF first.id THEN DaysCount = dayCount;

632  RUN;

NOTE: There were 12051 observations read from the data set WORK.A.

NOTE: The data set WORK.A has 12051 observations and 100 variables.

ERROR: Rename of temporary member for WORK.A.DATA failed.

File may be found in C:\DOCUME~1\rpaulos\LOCALS~1\Temp\SAS Temporary

       Files\_TD3436_PH-WL-2205-RP_.

NOTE: DATA statement used (Total process time):

      real time           0.15 seconds

      cpu time            0.15 seconds

SASKiwi
PROC Star

Have you gone through all of the SAS notes related to this problem? I found at least 8 with a simple search including this:

http://support.sas.com/kb/14/246.html  - I assume you have Modify or Full Control access on your WORK folder.

Also I would recommend you raise a track with SAS Support.

AllSoEasy
Obsidian | Level 7

I am also having this same issue. My program in 10,000+ lines, and about 3/5 times it will produce this exact error, but if I run it in pieces it does not. Surely SAS must be doing something about this and there is some kind of fix?

-If so many people are experiencing the same problem, it seems like a memory management issue internal to SAS. Has there been any progress by the SAS team on resolving this issue?

Thanks

SASKiwi
PROC Star

I suggest you refer to my response to rickpaulos. If the existing SAS notes don't help, then raise a track with SAS Support as they are the best avenue for this type of problem. Are you also running Windows XP like the others with this problem?

pition0831
Calcite | Level 5

I have confronted this problem these days and settled up successfully. Using operating system of either Win 7 profession, inclusive of both 32- and 64-bit, leads to random error as processing massive commands (in my case, macro). Now my two PCs are installed with  Window 8 professional and Window 7 home premium and no longer have the problem.

bq688
Calcite | Level 5

I had the same problem. It was my backup software (Carbonite). I think SS was trying to delete or rename while Carbonite was copying. I paused Carbonite and the problem went away.

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