ERROR Statement

Sets _ERROR_ to 1. A message written to the SAS log is optional.

Valid in:	DATA step
Categories:	Action
Categories:	CAS
Type:	Executable

Table of Contents

Syntax

ERROR <message>;

Without Arguments

Using ERROR without an argument sets the automatic variable _ERROR_ to 1 and writes a blank message to the SAS log.

Arguments

message

writes a message to the SAS log.

Tip	Message can include character literals (enclosed in quotation marks), variable names, formats, and pointer controls.

Details

The ERROR statement sets the automatic variable _ERROR_ to 1. Writing a message that you specify to the SAS log is optional. When _ERROR_ = 1, SAS writes the data lines that correspond to the current observation in the SAS log.

Using ERROR is equivalent to using these statements in combination:

an assignment statement setting _ERROR_ to 1
a FILE LOG statement
a PUT statement (if you specify a message)
a PUT; statement (if you do not specify a message)
another FILE statement resetting FILE to any previously specified setting

Example: Writing Error Messages

SAS writes the error message and the variable name and value to the SAS log for each observation that satisfies the condition in the IF-THEN statement.

In this example, the ERROR statement automatically resets the FILE statement specification to the previously specified setting.
```
file file-specification;
   if type='teen' & age > 19 then
      error 'type and age don"t match ' age=;
```

This example uses a series of statements to produce the same results.

file file-specification;
   if type='teen' & age > 19 then
      do;
         file log;
         put 'type and age don"t match ' age=;
         _error_=1;
         file file-specification;
      end;