WORKTERM System Option: z/OS

Specifies whether SAS erases WORK files at the termination of a SAS session.
Valid in: Configuration file, SAS invocation, Option statement, SAS System Options window
Category: Environment control: Files
PROC OPTIONS GROUP= ENVFILES
z/OS specifics: Default setting

Syntax

WORKTERM | NOWORKTERM

Details

WORKTERM is the most appropriate setting when the WORK library resides in a UFS directory because reusing a UFS WORK library from a previous session is not practical. However, NOWORKTERM is the appropriate setting when the WORK library resides in a direct access bound library because of one of the following conditions:
  • the library resides in a temporary z/OS data set that is deleted by the system anyway
  • the library resides in a permanent data set that might be reused.
SAS recommends that you specify NOWORKTERM in the default options table and not specify it in a CONFIG file or in the SAS invocation options. If you follow this recommendation, SAS automatically selects the appropriate setting during SAS system initialization, based on the type of WORK library.