Using SAS Files

Sharing Data between OpenVMS Platforms

SAS files that were created in an OpenVMS operating environment other than the one on which the user is currently running are described as nonnative. For example, data sets that were created on the VAX or Alpha platforms are defined as nonnative when they are moved to an HP Integrity server platform.

How to Convert Nonnative Data

Nonnative data must be converted before it can be accessed. There are two ways to convert nonnative data:

convert the data "transparently" between the OpenVMS VAX or Alpha format and the OpenVMS on HP Integrity Servers format each time you access the data file. This method causes performance degradation.
convert the data to the local format one time only. This method is more efficient, eliminating the need to convert the data each time you access it.

Limitations of One-Time-Only Conversions

A limitation of the one-time-only conversion is that the OpenVMS VAX platform supports a minimum numeric variable length of 2 bytes. The HP Integrity server platform supports a minimum numeric variable length of 3 bytes. Therefore, using this method to move data from the VAX platform, which supports 2-byte numeric storage, to the HP Integrity server platform, which supports 3-byte numeric storage, is not permitted. Instead, to move data from the VAX platform to an HP Integrity server platform, you must use the VAXTOINTEG procedure. Consequently, there is a potential loss of numeric precision when you move data from a VAX platform to an HP Integrity server platform. For more information, see Data Representation. For more information about the VAXTOINTEG procedure, see VAXTOINTEG Procedure: OpenVMS.

Note: The VAXTOINTEG procedure increases, by one character, VAX numeric variables that are 2 to 7 characters in length to minimize loss of precision. [cautionend]

Example: How to Convert a File Using SAS Code

The following is an example of how you can convert a file:

data a;
   set b;
run;

This code reads file B, which is in nonnative format, and creates a native version A.

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