What happens when the TRUNCOVER option is used in an INPUT statement?

Using the TRUNCOVER option in an INPUT statement allows SAS to read input data values directly from a raw data file without skipping to the next line when there are fewer characters than expected for variable lengths. When this option is active, if the data value is shorter than anticipated, the actual raw data value is still assigned to the variable, and the remaining characters for that input line are ignored.

This behavior is particularly useful in cases where data records may not be uniformly formatted or when they contain variable-length character data. It ensures that SAS does not misinterpret the input or generate errors when it encounters data that is shorter than the preset length for a variable.

The TRUNCOVER option thus enhances the flexibility of data reading, allowing for the effective handling of varying data lengths within records without losing important values. This capability is especially crucial when working with raw text files that might follow a more irregular input format.