The DBLOAD procedure loads data to PCs and creates PC files. This data can be from: a SAS data set, a PROC SQL view, a DATA step view, or a view descriptor from any SAS/ACCESS for Relational Databases interface product.

The DBLOAD procedure associates each SAS variable with a PC file column. Then it assigns a default name and data type to each column. Use the default information or change it as necessary. Once the columns are customized, the procedure creates the PC file and loads it with the input data.

The DBLOAD procedure for PC files is available only under Microsoft Windows operating environments. You can use the DBLOAD procedure with DBF, DIF, WK1, WK3, WK4, Excel 4, Excel 5, and Excel 95 file formats.

There are alternate ways for accessing data in PC file formats under the UNIX, Microsoft Windows, and IBM z/OS operating environments. Refer to Base SAS Procedures Guide and to the SAS documentation for your operating environment for more information about:

When the DBLOAD procedure is used to load a SAS data set into a PC file, the SAS variable names cannot exceed eight characters. This restriction is for compatibility with SAS 6 naming conventions.

Not all DBLOAD procedure statements are available with all PC file formats. Additional statements might be used based on the PC file type.