What method does SAS use to direct output when reaching the RUN statement in a DATA step?

When the RUN statement is executed within a DATA step in SAS, a data record is written to the designated output data set. This is an essential part of how a DATA step processes the input data. Each observation created during the DATA step is stored as a record in the output dataset. The RUN statement indicates that the current step is complete, and at this point, any created data records are finalized and written to the output data set.

As the DATA step processes data, it may read iterations or perform calculations. However, it seals these results and commits them to the output only upon reaching the RUN statement. This is a fundamental mechanism in SAS programming and is key to understanding how data is handled and created in a typical program flow within SAS.

The other options pertain to different behaviors or actions that do not directly reflect the specific function of the RUN statement in relation to data output in a DATA step. The correct answer reflects the specific outcome of the RUN statement's execution in this context.