Storage Features
Storage Files
SAS/IML storage files are specially structured files that are located in a SAS data library. A SAS/IML storage file contains entries that are either matrices, tables, lists, or modules. Like other SAS files, SAS/IML storage files have two-level names in the form libref.storage-file. The first-level name, libref, is a name that is assigned to the SAS data library to which the storage file belongs. The second-level name, storage-file, is the name of the storage file.
The default libref is initially SASUSER, and the default storage file name is IMLSTOR. Thus, the default storage file is called SASUSER.IMLSTOR. You can change the storage file by using the RESET STORAGE= statement (see the discussion of the RESET statement in Chapter 25).
By using this command, you can change either the storage file or the libref.
When you store a matrix, table, or list, PROC IML automatically stores its name, its type, its dimension, and its current values. It stores modules in the form of their compiled code. After you load modules, they do not need to be parsed again; thus they are very efficient to use.