9.2. The World of Bugs

Ever since the birth of the software industry, software problems (often referred to as bugs) have been created by programmers (and users) of all skill levels in virtually every conceivable form. A bug is something the software or a program does that it is not supposed to do. When the software encounters a bug, it can cause the software to cease to operate or misbehave.

Bugs come in all forms, shapes, and sizes. A problem that occurs while you’re using the SQL procedure incorrectly and directly violating the rules of the language is referred to as a usage error. The severity of these types of errors depends on the nature of the violation as well as the effect on the user. Generally speaking though, a usage error results in a syntax error and the stoppage of the program or step.

Other types of bugs can be problematic too. Bugs such as resource problems, data dependencies, and implementation errors can cause a program step to stop, or produce unreliable results, displaying errors or warnings in the SAS log.