Accessing SAS Catalogs

Note: The engine that creates a SAS catalog determines its format, which is different in Version 6 and Version 8 and therefore not compatible. However, the format of a SAS catalog entry is determined by the SAS program or application that creates it and may or may not be compatible between versions. [cautionend]

Using Version 8 to Access Version 6 Catalogs without Converting

Version 8 can read a Version 6 catalog. Therefore, if you do not need to update a Version 6 catalog, then you do not need to convert it.

In general, Version 8 cannot write to a Version 6 catalog. However, you can use the COPY procedure to write a Version 6 catalog from a Version 6 library to another Version 6 library.

Version 8 cannot create new entries or update existing entries in a Version 6 catalog. You must convert the catalog to Version 8 format.

Using Version 6 to Access Version 8 Catalogs

Version 6 cannot access Version 8 catalogs, because the file formats are not compatible.

Converting Version 6 Catalogs to Version 8 Format

For a Version 6 catalog, to create new entries or to update existing ones, you must convert the catalog to Version 8 format. Two methods are available, which produce different results regarding catalog entries:

You can use the COPY procedure to convert a Version 6 catalog to Version 8 format. However, the resulting catalog entries are in Version 6 format, because the application or SAS program that originally created them was a Version 6 application or program. As those entries are updated, they are changed to Version 8 format; entries never updated are not changed. New entries are, of course, in Version 8 format. For example:
```
libname old v6 "v6-SAS-data-library";
libname new v8 "v8-SAS-data-library";

proc copy in=old out=new memtype=catalog;
run;
```
The CPORT and CIMPORT transport procedures can produce an output Version 8 catalog. Unlike PROC COPY, the resulting catalog entries are in Version 8 format.
For example, the following program uses PROC CPORT to place the contents of the Release 6.12 catalog OLD.MYCAT in a transport file.
```
   /* Release 6.12 SAS program */

libname old "v6-SAS-data-library";

proc cport cat=old.mycat file='myxpt.xpt';
run;
```
Then, the following program uses PROC CIMPORT to convert the transport file to the Version 8 catalog NEW.MYCAT:
```
   /* Version 8 SAS program */

libname new "v8-SAS-data-library";

proc cimport cat=new.mycat file='myxpt.xpt';
run;
```

Creating Version 6 SAS Catalogs in Version 8

You cannot create a Version 6 SAS catalog in Version 8, except with SAS/SHARE and SAS/CONNECT software.

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