Using SAS Files

Compatibility of Existing SAS Files with SAS 9.2

Compatibility of SAS 9 OpenVMS Alpha and OpenVMS on HP Integrity Servers Files

Except for catalogs, files that were created in SAS 9 under OpenVMS Alpha are compatible and accessible using SAS 9.2 under OpenVMS on HP Integrity Servers. SAS 9 catalogs that were created under OpenVMS Alpha must be migrated to SAS 9.2 catalogs to be usable in the OpenVMS on HP Integrity Servers operating environment. To migrate catalogs, use the MIGRATE procedure with the SLIBREF= option. For more information, see the MIGRATE procedure. For a list of the supported processing for each native file type, see the SAS 9 compatibility documentation under "Migration" at support.sas.com/migration.

Compatibility of Version 7 and Version 8 SAS Files

Supported File Types in SAS 9.2

You can access all of your Version 7 and Version 8 SAS files (except SAS catalogs) created under OpenVMS Alpha or VAX, in SAS 9.2 under OpenVMS on HP Integrity Servers. (For more information about SAS catalogs, see Unsupported File Types in SAS 9.2.) Because these files are compatible with SAS 9.2, they are referred to as native files. For a list of the supported processing for each native file type, see the SAS 9 compatibility documentation in the Migration focus area at support.sas.com/migration.

Although these file types are supported in SAS 9.2, you might want to convert your Version 7 and Version 8 libraries to the SAS 9 format. SAS 9.2 does not support output or update processing for all native file types. Converting your libraries enables you to have input, output, and update processing on all file types, and you can take advantage of the new SAS 9 features. To convert these SAS files, use the MIGRATE procedure.

Unsupported File Types in SAS 9.2

You cannot access your Version 7 or Version 8 SAS catalogs in SAS 9.2. Because these files are incompatible with SAS 9.2, they are referred to as foreign files. To use your Version 7 or Version 8 catalogs in SAS 9.2, use the MIGRATE procedure with the SLIBREF= option to convert these files to the SAS 9.2 format. For more information, see the MIGRATE procedure.

Compatibility of Version 6 SAS Files

Because Version 6 files are not compatible with SAS 9.2, they are referred to as foreign files. SAS 9.2 only supports input processing for Version 6 data files using the V6 read-only engine. This engine does not support output or update processing, and indexes are not supported. To convert your all of your Version 6 files to the SAS 9.2 format, use the MIGRATE procedure with the SLIBREF= option.

For more information about the compatibility of Version 6 files and the MIGRATE procedure, see the MIGRATE procedure.

Note: See SAS/CONNECT User's Guide for information about accessing Version 6 SAS files if you use Remote Library Services to access SAS files on a server. [cautionend]

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