Statistical Analysis System (SAS) Programming Certification Practice Exam

What does the following statement do? libname states 'c:\myfiles\sasdata\popstats';

1. defines a library called States using the Popstats engine

2. defines a library called Popstats using the States engine

3. defines the default library using the default engines

4. defines a library called States using the default engine

The correct answer is: defines a library called States using the default engine

The statement `libname states 'c:\myfiles\sasdata\popstats';` is used to assign a libref (library reference) named 'states' to a specific directory path where SAS datasets are stored. By default, SAS uses the standard data set and storage formats for the datasets created in this directory, which is typically referred to as the default engine. When you use the `libname` statement like this, you are essentially telling SAS to recognize the specified folder as a library where datasets can be stored, retrieved, and managed. This allows for organized storage and easy referencing of datasets within that location. In this context, a library defined using the default engine means that no specific engine (like a special format for reading or writing data) is specified, and SAS will use its standard way of handling datasets in the specified directory. Therefore, this confirms that a library called 'states' is being defined using the default engine, making this the correct interpretation of the given statement.