Hi , I am trying to read/write a SAS dataset by multiple jobs running concurrently. Here are some details on my task that I am trying to achieve:

1. I will run my process on UNIX and using sas9.x 2. I will create a sas dataset (permanent dataset) called "control" with 2 columns: JOb_name and FLAG.

3. I have total 4 jobs, JOB1, JOB2, JOB3, JOB4 to run. and I like to submit all 4 using SYSTASK COMMAND to run consurrently. At the very end of JOB1, JOB2, and JOB3, I will insert/write a record to "control" dataset to mark the completion of the job. For example as below:

Proc sql; insert into X.control values('JOB1','1'); quit;

JOb4 should run only after the successful completion of JOB1, JOB2, JOB3. So, in JOB4 I am using sleep commmand so that It will be active in the background and will keep checking the "CONTROL" dataset (created in step2) for the JOb_name and FLAG and if it finds that JOB1, JOB2, JOB3 are completed then Job should start processing.

My question is : How can I make the "CONTROL" dataset available for JOB1/2/3 for wrting and available to JOB4 for reading without any deadlock or without failing the jobs and without any data inconsistency?

Can you please help me? THANK YOU SO MUCH in advance.