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Moving and Accessing SAS Files across Operating Environments |
Note: Version 7 and Version 8 filename extensions are identical.
However, the Version 8 default eight-character filename extension requirement conflicts with the three-character filename extension that is used on FAT- (File Allocation Table) style disk devices, which are used exclusively in OS/2 and Windows environments.
Consequently, in a Windows or an OS/2 environment, you cannot create, read from, or update a file that was created with CEDA on a FAT- (File Allocation Table) style disk device, which recognizes only files that have a three-character filename extension. For a comprehensive list of Version 8 filename extensions, see Using Filename Extensions to Determine Which SAS Engine and Host Were Used to Create a SAS File.
Here is an example of setting the SHORTFILEEXT option in the LIBNAME statement on an OS/2 or a Windows host:
libname grades 'c:\chemistry' shortfileext;
The SHORTFILEEXT option allows Version 8 to recognize short filename extensions, which enables you to create, read from, and update Version 8 files on a FAT device. For more information about the SHORTFILEEXT option, see SAS Companion for the OS/2 Environment or SAS Companion for the Microsoft Windows Environment, whichever is applicable.
Because it is unlikely that all users will be aware of file-naming restrictions imposed by some hardware, the need to set the SHORTFILEEXT option in the LIBNAME statement may not be apparent. To warn of this problem, you will receive this error message:
ERROR: File library.member.DATA has too long a member name for the FAT drive
The recovery action is to retry the LIBNAME statement and use the SHORTFILEEXT option.
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