When running the List Data task in SAS Enterprise Guide, the results might display a column of blank values. If you look at the data grid, you see the data values for this column without issues. This typically happens on character columns with a length of 4 or less. The problem is caused by a byte alignment on Unix platforms and is most likely to occur on Linux platforms.

A circumvention is to modify the problematic column to a length of 5 or greater. You can do this by executing a query to create a computed column using the original data but setting the length of the new column to 5 or greater.

To create the new column, open the Query Builder and move all of the columns except the character columns with a length of 4 or less onto the Select Data tab. Then, create a Computed Column using the following example as the expression needed to create a copy of the character column with a longer length:

PUT(alias.columnname,$8.)

SAS Enterprise Guide automatically places the new computed column on the Select Data tab. Select Run to run the query and create the column with the longer length. Now, you may run the List Data task on new data and the column should display properly.

An alternative resolution is to apply a related hot fix to the SAS^® server. Select the Hot Fix tab in this note to access the hot fix.

Operating System and Release Information

A fix for SAS 9.1.3 (9.1 TS1M3) for this issue is available at:

A fix for SAS 9.1.3 (9.1 TS1M3) with Asian Language Support (DBCS) for this issue is available at: