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BUFSIZE=

Valid in:	configuration file, SAS invocation, OPTIONS statement, Systems Options window
Category:	Files: SAS files
PROC OPTIONS GROUP=	SASFILES

Syntax Description

n | nK | nM | nG

specifies the permanent buffer size in bytes, kilobytes, megabytes, or gigabytes respectively.

MIN

sets the permanent buffer size to the smallest, signed, 4-byte integer representable in your operating environment. The BUFSIZE= option is defined as a signed integer so that negative values can be supplied for internal testing purposes. BUFSIZE=MIN sets the permanent buffer size to the smallest signed integer representable. That is, this value sets the permanent buffer size to the largest negative integer that is representable in your operating environment. This may cause unexpected results.

CAUTION:

This setting should be avoided. Use BUFSIZE=0 to reset BUFSIZE= to the default value in your operating environment.   

MAX

sets the permanent buffer size to the largest, signed, 4-byte integer that is representable in your operating environment.

hex

specifies the permanent buffer size as a hexadecimal number. This number must be followed by an X.

Details

If the number of bytes is greater than 0 when a SAS data set is created, that number is used as the default value for the BUFSIZE= data set option. If the BUFSIZE data set option is omitted and the number of bytes for the BUFSIZE= system option is 0, SAS chooses an operating environment default value that is optimal for the SAS data set.

Note:    Using BUFSIZE= can speed up execution time by limiting the number of input/output operations that are required for a particular SAS data set. The improvement in execution time, however, comes at the expense of increased memory consumption.  

Operating Environment Information:   The syntax that is shown here applies to the OPTIONS statement. On the command line or in a configuration file, the syntax is specific to your operating environment. For details, see the SAS documentation for your operating environment.  

Comparisons

The BUFSIZE= system option can be overridden by the BUFSIZE= data set option.

See Also

	Data Set Option: BUFSIZE=
	System Option: BUFNO=

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Copyright 1999 by SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA. All rights reserved.