Moving and Accessing SAS Files across Operating Environments

Designating a Host File Format for the Accessing Host

Although the OpenVMS operating system transparently runs on two different host architectures, Alpha and VAX, if you create a SAS file on one host architecture that you intend for access on the other host architecture, then you must create the file in the file format of the accessing host. For example, at an OpenVMS Alpha host, you can create a SAS data set in OpenVMS VAX format. This feature is useful when migrating the OpenVMS operating environment between the two hardware architectures.

You use the HOSTFMT= option in the LIBNAME statement to designate the format of all files to be created in the specified library. Here is an example of designating OpenVMS Alpha format from an OpenVMS VAX host:

libname tranfile '[grades]' HOSTFMT=alpha;

By default, if you omit the HOSTFMT= option in the LIBNAME statement, you create SAS files in the format of the host at which you are creating the SAS files.

For details about the syntax for the LIBNAME statement and the HOSTFMT= option, see SAS Companion for the OpenVMS Operating Environment.

After you use the LIBNAME statement to designate the format of files to be created in that library, you must make the library available for use by using either of these methods:

Use NFS (Network File System) third-party communications software to mount the file system for network access.
Use NFS (Network File Services) to move the files between hosts.

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