SAS might create temporary UFS directories that contain
the WORK library or certain types of utility files. SAS normally
deletes these directories at the conclusion of the SAS session or
job. However, if SAS is canceled or if SAS terminates abnormally,
these directories will not be removed. For more information about
the creation of temporary directories, see
SAS Software Files.The SAS
cleanwork utility
program performs the following functions:
-
automatically locate these temporary
UFS directories
-
verify that the SAS session that
is associated with each directory is no longer running
-
remove the directory and all of
its contents.
For information about the processes to install and
configure
cleanwork, see
Installing the cleanwork Utility and Configuring the cleanwork Utility.Note: Installing and configuring
cleanwork typically
require special system administrator privileges.
The WORK and UTILLOC
options can specify a UFS path as the location in which SAS creates
temporary UFS directories. It is recommended that the specified UFS
path correspond to a directory, such as
/tmp,
that has its sticky bit turned on. When the sticky bit is on for a
directory, directories that are contained within that directory can
be removed only by one of the following users:
-
the owner of the directory
-
the owner of the directory that
is being deleted
-
This setting allows multiple SAS users to place temporary
directories in the same location without the risk of accidentally
deleting each other's files. However, identifying which temporary
directories in that location correspond to SAS sessions that have
ended can be difficult. The
cleanwork utility,
which typically runs under a superuser account, automates and simplifies
this process.