Filename Extensions: Identifying the SAS Engine and Operating Environment Used to Create a SAS File

You can infer from the SAS filename extension the SAS engine and the operating environment under which a SAS file was created. For SAS 6 and later, these operating environments use filename extensions to reflect the SAS engine and the SAS member that is created:
  • OpenVMS
  • z/OS (SAS 8 and later UNIX System Services Directory)
  • UNIX
  • Windows
This table lists SAS filename extensions for members by operating environment and SAS version.
SAS Filename Extension by Operating Environment Type and SAS Version
Member
SAS Filename Extensions
SAS 6
SAS 8 and Later
UNIX
OpenVMS
Windows
UNIX, OpenVMS, z/OS*, and Windows
.SAS
.sas
.SAS
.sas
.sas
PROGRAM
(DATA step)
.sspnn
.SASEB$PROGRAM
.ss2
sas7bpgm
DATA
.ssdnn
.SASEB$DATA
.sd2
.sas7bdat
INDEX
.snxnn
.SASEB$INDEX
.si2
.sas7bndx
CATALOG
.sctnn
.SASEB$CATALOG
.sc2
.sas7bcat
MDDB
.ssmnn
.SASEB$MDDB
.sm2
.sas7bmdb
PROC SQL view
.snvnn
SASEB$VIEW
.sv2
.sas7bvew
ITEMSTOR
not applicable
not applicable
not applicable
.sas7bitm
The extension nn is used to differentiate among UNIX computer architectures. To learn the values of nn under UNIX operating environments, see UNIX Operating Environment Filename Extensions.
* refers to SAS 8 and later z/OS UNIX System Services Directory.