SAS Companion for the Microsoft Windows Environment

Converting User-Written Formats from Earlier Releases to Version 8

You must convert Release 6.04, Release 6.06, and Release 6.08 user-written formats to their Version 8 counterparts before you can use them in a Version 8 SAS program. The only exception to this rule is user-written informats and formats created by Release 6.08 or later under Windows; these informats and formats can be read directly from your Windows SAS session. (footnote 1)

Converting Version 6 User-Written Formats

You can convert Release 6.04, 6.06, and 6.08 SAS catalogs that contain user-written informats and formats using one of the following methods:

Converting Release 6.04 catalogs: use the CNTLOUT= option in the PROC FORMAT statement in Release 6.04 to create an output data set, and then use the CNTLIN= option in the PROC FORMAT statement in Version 8 to create the Version 8 informats or formats. You must use the V604 engine in your Version 8 SAS session to read the data set. This method also works for converting from Release 6.06 or 6.08.
Converting Release 6.06 or Release 6.08 catalogs: use the CPORT and CIMPORT procedures to convert the informats and formats. For more information on the CPORT and CIMPORT procedures, see SAS Procedures Guide. This method works for converting from Release 6.06 or Release 6.08 only; it does not work for converting from Release 6.04.

Converting Version 5 User-Written Formats

You must also convert Version 5 user-written formats to their Version 8 counterparts before you can use them in a Version 8 SAS program. (This implies that you are not only converting these files, but you are also transferring them from a remote operating system to your PC). You can convert them using one of the following methods:

Use the V5TOV6 procedure on the remote operating system to convert the informats and formats to Version 6 format. This implies that the remote operating system has access to Version 6 SAS software. Then, transport the converted informats and formats (as binary files) to your Windows operating environment and use the CIMPORT procedure to complete the conversion.
Note: The V5TOV6 procedure is not available in Version 8 of the SAS System. You must use this procedure in Release 6 of the SAS System.
Use the SUGI supplemental procedure FMTLIB under Version 5 on the remote operating system to create an output data set, transport that data set to your PC, and then use the CNTLIN= option in the PROC FORMAT statement in Version 8 to create the Version 8 formats.

FOOTNOTE 1: However, it is recommended that you use PROC CPORT and PROC CIMPORT to convert older Windows catalogs containing user-written informats and formats to Version 8 if you no longer need to use them in previous releases.

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