When you import network files with the SAS PC File Server, you can receive the following error:

ERROR: CLI error trying to establish connection: [Microsoft]
[ODBC Excel Driver] '(unknown)' is not a valid path.  Make sure
that the path name is spelled correctly and that you are 
connected to the server on which the file resides.
ERROR: Error in the LIBNAME statement. Connection Failed.  
See log for details.

This problem occurs when the SAS PC File Server is installed as a service and the path specifed for either the datafile or the outfile parameters is a named network drive, as shown in the following example:

The problem occurs because network drives are mapped at when a users logs on, and services do not recognize these mapped drives. To circumvent the problem, do one of the following:

1. Specify the Universal Naming Convention in either the DATAFILE= option or the OUTFILE= option, both of which include the server name in the path, as shown in this example:
   proc import dbms=excelcs out=temp1 datafile='\\my-server\sastest\sam64.xls' replace; port=8621; server='your-server.com'; sheet='one'; run; proc export dbms=excelcs data=temp1 outfile='\\my-server\sastest\sam64.xls' replace; port=8621; server='your-server.com'; sheet='one'; run;
2. Start the SAS PC File Server manually.

The server should now recognize network paths because the drives have been mapped prior to restarting the SAS PC File Server.

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