When using the INPUT statement with DSD option, what is the primary effect?

The DSD (Delimiter-Sensitive Data) option in the INPUT statement primarily affects how SAS handles delimiters in the data during the input process. When this option is used, SAS treats consecutive delimiters as a single delimiter, which in turn means that it interprets the data between them as missing values rather than creating additional empty variables. This is particularly useful when working with CSV files or other delimited data sources where multiple consecutive delimiters might appear.

For example, in a CSV file where data is separated by commas, if there are two consecutive commas, SAS with the DSD option recognizes that there is a missing value between those commas. This behavior helps maintain the integrity of the data input, ensuring that the output represents the intended data structure.

The other options do not accurately reflect the primary function of the DSD option: variable length records are not specifically managed by DSD, date formatting requires additional options or formats, and reading from a compressed file is a separate functionality unrelated to DSD.