SAS 9.1 Companion For Unix Enivronments

Using One-Level Names to Access Permanent Files ( User Data Library)

Introduction to One-Level Names

SAS data sets are referenced with a one- or two-level name. The two-level name is of the form libref.member-name where libref refers to the SAS data library in which the data set resides and member-name refers to the particular member within that library. The one-level name is of the form member-name (without a libref ). In this case, SAS stores the files in the temporary Work data library. To override this action and have files with one-level names stored in a permanent library, first assign the User libref to an existing directory. To refer to temporary SAS files while User is assigned, use a two-level name with Work as the libref.

Techniques for Assigning the User Libref

You have three ways to assign the User libref:

• Assign the User libref directly using the LIBNAME statement:

  libname user '/users/myid/mydir';

• Specify the USER= system option before you start the session. For example, you can assign the User libref when you invoke SAS:

  sas -user /users/myid/mydir

• Specify the USER= system option after you start the session. First, assign a libref to the permanent library. Then use the USER= system option in an OPTIONS statement to equate that libref to User. For example, these statements assign the libref User to the directory with libref Mine:

  libname mine '/users/myid/mydir'; options user=mine;

See Chapter 17, "System Options under UNIX," on page 311 for details on the USER= system option.