SAS Data set shouldn't have as many variables

[Shmuel]

Would you like to try:

data tasks;
set PDBIN;
by JOB;
lenght jx $10; /* max length of job prefix checked */
if _N_ =1 then do i=1 to 578; ctrs(i)=0; end;
if substr(JOB,1,2)  in (<list of 2 first characters of JOB names) 
  then do; jx = substr(JOB,1,2); output; end; 
if substr(JOB,1,4) in (<list of 4 first characters of JOB names)
  then do; jx = substr(JOB,1,4); output; end; 
   .....
 keep jx job;
run;
proc freq data=tasks;
      table jx;
run;