Date: Wed, 20 Apr 2011 17:55:42 -0400
Reply-To: "Viel, Kevin" <kviel@SJHA.ORG>
Sender: "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From: "Viel, Kevin" <kviel@SJHA.ORG>
Subject: Re: ERROR: A lock is not available
In-Reply-To: <037AB3FF38D44C4BAFB5DFF3D06B57BA0A71C983F3@EX-CMS01.westat.com>
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> -----Original Message-----
> From: SAS(r) Discussion [mailto:SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf Of
> Michael Raithel
> Sent: Wednesday, April 20, 2011 4:32 PM
> To: SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> Subject: Re: ERROR: A lock is not available
>
> Dear SAS-L-ers,
>
> Two weeks ago, Kevin posted in part:
>
> <<Kevin's entire original posting can be found beneath the Sig line>>
>
> >
> > On my single user desktop (Windows XP SP3, SAS 9.2) using temporary
> > files, I sometimes get a LOCK message. I was seeing it while trying to
> > DELETE a file using the DATASETS procedure, which had not been a
> > "problem". This time the error arose when trying to append, the first
> > time for this type of error. I have about 18,000 pairs of raw texts
> > files to add to my SAS database.
> >
>
> Kevin, this was an interesting thread when you originally posted it and
> when others replied. It is even more interesting to me now that we have
> had a few reports of SAS Mecca staff experiencing sporadic file locks on
> data sets in their SAS WORK data library during batch processing. (SAS
> 9.2 TS2M3 running on Windows XP 5.1 SP3).
>
> Did you ever find the root cause of this aggravating issue, or did you
> simply learn to live with it?
>
> Also, if any other esteemed SAS-L-er has had experience with this issue
> and has insights on how to overcome it, I would appreciate his/her input.
>
> Kevin, best of luck in all your SAS endeavors!
>
>
> I hope that this suggestion proves helpful now, and in the future!
>
> Of course, all of these opinions and insights are my own, and do not
> reflect those of my organization or my associates. All SAS code and/or
> methodologies specified in this posting are for illustrative purposes only
> and no warranty is stated or implied as to their accuracy or
> applicability. People deciding to use information in this posting do so at
> their own risk.
>
> +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> Michael A. Raithel
> "The man who wrote the book on performance"
> E-mail: MichaelRaithel@westat.com
>
> Author: Tuning SAS Applications in the MVS Environment
>
> Author: Tuning SAS Applications in the OS/390 and z/OS Environments,
> Second Edition
> http://www.sas.com/apps/pubscat/bookdetails.jsp?catid=1&pc=58172
>
> Author: The Complete Guide to SAS Indexes
> http://www.sas.com/apps/pubscat/bookdetails.jsp?catid=1&pc=60409
>
> +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> Only those who are asleep make no mistakes. - Ingvar Kamprad
> +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>
>
>
> <<Kevin's entire original>>
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: SAS(r) Discussion [mailto:SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf Of
> > Viel, Kevin
> > Sent: Wednesday, April 06, 2011 3:30 PM
> > To: SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> > Subject: ERROR: A lock is not available
> >
> > On my single user desktop (Windows XP SP3, SAS 9.2) using temporary
> > files, I sometimes get a LOCK message. I was seeing it while trying to
> > DELETE a file using the DATASETS procedure, which had not been a
> > "problem". This time the error arose when trying to append, the first
> > time for this type of error. I have about 18,000 pairs of raw texts
> > files to add to my SAS database.
> >
> > I am surprised by this. The processing time between the last APPEND
> > and the next should have been more the adequate for the lock to be
> > released, if one existed. No other program should have touched this
> > file to my knowledge.
> >
> >
> > NOTE: Appending WORK.POLY_PHD_9148 to WORK.POLY_PHD_ALL.
> > NOTE: There were 1114 observations read from the data set
> > WORK.POLY_PHD_9148.
> > NOTE: 1114 observations added.
> > NOTE: The data set WORK.POLY_PHD_ALL has 9289548 observations and 15
> > variables.
> > NOTE: PROCEDURE APPEND used (Total process time):
> > real time 0.01 seconds
> > cpu time 0.00 seconds
> >
> >
> > <SNIPPED>
> >
> > NOTE: The data set WORK.PHD_9149 has 944 observations and 3 variables.
> > NOTE: DATA statement used (Total process time):
> > real time 0.01 seconds
> > cpu time 0.00 seconds
> >
> >
> > NOTE: PROCEDURE SQL used (Total process time):
> > real time 0.01 seconds
> > cpu time 0.00 seconds
> >
> >
> > NOTE: Table WORK.POLY_PHD_9149 created, with 944 rows and 15 columns.
> >
> > NOTE: PROCEDURE SQL used (Total process time):
> > real time 0.01 seconds
> > cpu time 0.01 seconds
> >
> >
> > ERROR: A lock is not available for WORK.POLY_PHD_ALL.DATA.
> >
> > NOTE: Statements not processed because of errors noted above.
> > NOTE: PROCEDURE APPEND used (Total process time):
> > real time 0.01 seconds
> > cpu time 0.01 seconds
> >
> > NOTE: The SAS System stopped processing this step because of errors.
> >
> >
> > The LOCK statement does not seem appropriate. I would appreciate any
> > insight or suggestions.
I did not find the root of the problem. Given that no other SAS program should have touched this file, it may be that an anti-virus scan locked it. The frequency was too high, occurring several times it seemed in one run. I had seen that message when I was creating thousands of gifs using GPLOT, for instance. Maybe I should head to the colliders and pursue a career in physics?
NOTE: Deleting WORK.BOX_REF (memtype=DATA).
ERROR: A lock is not available for WORK.BOX_REF.DATA.
NOTE: The SAS System stopped processing this step because of errors.
NOTE: PROCEDURE DATASETS used (Total process time):
I just stopped attempting to clear out the datasets and instead let SAS overwrite them.
I am interested to hear what others have found. The more I have to be the one to consider hard/software for tasks at work, the more I want a barebones box beside one that I might abuse (email, internet, word processing/document creation, et cetera).
Good luck,
Kevin
Kevin Viel, PhD
Senior Research Statistician
Patient Safety & Quality
International College of Robotic Surgery
Saint Joseph's Translational Research Institute
Saint Joseph's Hospital
5671 Peachtree Dunwoody Road, NE, Suite 330
Atlanta, GA 30342
(678) 843-6076: Direct Phone
(678) 843-6153: Facsimile
(404) 558-1364: Mobile
kviel@sjha.org
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