LRECL= System Option: z/OS

Specifies the default logical record length to use for reading and writing external files.

Valid in:	Configuration file, SAS invocation, OPTIONS statement, SAS System Options window
Category:	Files: External Files
PROC OPTIONS GROUP=	EXTFILES
Default:	256
z/OS specifics:	The LRECL= system option applies only to UFS files. It does not apply to native files.
See:	LRECL= System Option in SAS System Options: Reference

Syntax

Details

Syntax

LRECL=n | nK | nM | nG | nT | hexX | MIN | MAX

Required Arguments

n: specifies the logical record length in multiples of 1 (bytes); 1,024 (kilobytes); 1,048,576 (megabytes); 1,073,741,824 (gigabytes); or 1,099,511,627,776 (terabytes). For example, a value of 32 specifies 32 bytes, and a value of 32k specifies 32,768 bytes, which exceeds the allowed maximum value.

Default:256

Range:1 - 32,767

hexX: specifies the logical record length as a hexadecimal number followed by an X. The first hexadecimal character must be in the range 0-9. For example, the value 0A0X sets the logical record length to 160.

MIN: specifies a logical record length of 1.

MAX: specifies a logical record length of 32,767.

Details

The logical record length for reading or writing external files is first determined by the LRECL= option on the access method statement, function, or command that is used to read or write an individual file, or the DDName value in the z/OS operating environment. If the logical record length is not specified by any of these methods, SAS uses the value specified by the LRECL= system option.

Use a value for the LRECL= system option that is not an arbitrarily large value. Large values for this option can result in excessive use of memory, which can degrade performance.