LENGTH

LENGTH

Specifies how many bytes the SAS System uses to store a variable's values

Language element: statement

Valid: in a DATA step

OpenVMS specifics: valid numeric variable lengths

Syntax
Details
See Also

Syntax

LENGTH <variable-specification-1>

<. . .variable-specification-n><DEFAULT=n>;

length

can range from 3 to 8 bytes for numeric variables in the OpenVMS Alpha environment.

The value of length can range from 2 to 8 bytes for numeric variables in the OpenVMS VAX environment.

DEFAULT=n

changes the default number of bytes used for storing the values of newly created numeric variables from 8 to the value of n.

In the OpenVMS Alpha environment, n can range from 3 to 8 bytes.

In the OpenVMS VAX environment, n can range from 2 to 8 bytes.

Details

The LENGTH statement specifies the number of bytes used for storing variables.

In general, the length of a variable depends on

whether the variable is numeric or character
how the variable was created
whether a LENGTH or ATTRIB statement is present.

Subject to the rules for assigning lengths, lengths that are assigned with the LENGTH statement can be changed in the ATTRIB statement and vice versa.

See Also

LENGTH statement in SAS Language Reference: Dictionary
Numeric Variables in the Alpha Environment
Numeric Variables in the VAX Environment
Statement: ATTRIB

Chapter Contents
Previous
Next
Top of Page

Language element:	statement
Valid:	in a DATA step
OpenVMS specifics:	valid numeric variable lengths