MXG makes extensive use of DATA step views and binary data in character fields with $HEXw. and user-written MXG hex formats. The format indicates that the information in the character variable is not character, but binary or hex data.

This data should not be modifed by the transport process when moving from one platform to another. TRANSCODE=NO is required to move character variables containing HEX values that are not to be translated during the transport process. Previously, SAS Views did not honor the TRANSCODE=NO parameter

To make this happen, permanently specify the variable attribute on the SAS data set of TRANSCODE=NO with an ATTRIB statement. Many procedures do not allow the ATTRIB for a varible to be specified on a temporary basis.

When this data set is the basis of a SAS DATA step view, the TRANSCODE attribute must be reflected in the view.

Run the sample code to see the effect of the problem.

If you cannot install the HOTFIX, here are two work-arounds for this problem:
1. Do not use a DATA step view.
2. Convert the SAS data set to an external file, use FTP in binary mode to transfer the data set to the new platform, read the external data set, rebuild the SAS data set and indexes (if any) on the new platform.

Operating System and Release Information

proc datasets mt=view kill; /* get rid of existing views in WORK library */
data original;
  hexvar='80'X; 
  format hexvar $HEX2. ; 
  attrib hexvar TRANSCODE=NO;
  charvar = '1';
  cecser='123456'X; 
  format cecser $HEX6.; 
  attrib cecser TRANSCODE=NO;
  startime=10;

/* create DATA step view */
data testview/view = testview;
  set original;

proc printto print='c:\saslogs\t188972.txt'; 
run;

proc contents data = original;
title contents of original data set;
run;

proc contents data = testview;
title 'testview - created by DATA step';
proc sort data = testview out=sorted;
by cecser startime;
run;

proc contents data = sorted; 
title 'sorted output from testview';
run;
     
proc sql noprint;
  create table vrefs
  as select name,libname,memname,transcode
  from dictionary.columns
  where libname='WORK';
quit;
proc print;  
title 'dictionary.columns';
run;

proc printto print=print; run;

                     contents of original data set                     5
                                          16:57 Thursday, March 12, 2009

                         The CONTENTS Procedure

Data Set Name        WORK.ORIGINAL              Observations          1 
Member Type          DATA                       Variables             4 
Engine               V9                         Indexes               0 
Created              Thursday, March 12,        Observation Length    16
                     2009 04:57:41 PM                                   
Last Modified        Thursday, March 12,        Deleted Observations  0 
                     2009 04:57:41 PM                                   
Protection                                      Compressed            NO
Data Set Type                                   Sorted                NO
Label                                                                   
Data Representation  WINDOWS_32                                         
Encoding             wlatin1  Western                                   
                     (Windows)                                          


                   Engine/Host Dependent Information

Data Set Page Size          4096                                        
Number of Data Set Pages    1                                           
First Data Page             1                                           
Max Obs per Page            252                                         
Obs in First Data Page      1                                           
Number of Data Set Repairs  0                                           
Filename                    C:\DOCUME~1\sasjrs\LOCALS~1\Temp\SAS        
                            Temporary Files\_TD536\original.sas7bdat    
Release Created             9.0201M0                                    
Host Created                XP_PRO                                      


              Alphabetic List of Variables and Attributes
 
          #    Variable    Type    Len    Format    Transcode

          3    cecser      Char      3    $HEX6.    NO       
          2    charvar     Char      1              YES      
          1    hexvar      Char      1    $HEX2.    NO       
          4    startime    Num       8              YES      
                     testview - created by DATA step                    6
                                          16:57 Thursday, March 12, 2009

                         The CONTENTS Procedure

Data Set Name        WORK.TESTVIEW              Observations          . 
Member Type          VIEW                       Variables             4 
Engine               SASDSV                     Indexes               0 
Created              Thursday, March 12,        Observation Length    13
                     2009 04:57:41 PM                                   
Last Modified        Thursday, March 12,        Deleted Observations  0 
                     2009 04:57:41 PM                                   
Protection                                      Compressed            NO
Data Set Type                                   Sorted                NO
Label                                                                   
Data Representation  Default                                            
Encoding             Default                                            


                    Engine/Host Dependent Information

                       DATA Step view type  INPUT


               Alphabetic List of Variables and Attributes
 
                 #    Variable    Type    Len    Format

                 3    cecser      Char      3    $HEX6.
                 2    charvar     Char      1          
                 1    hexvar      Char      1    $HEX2.
                 4    startime    Num       8          
                       sorted output from testview                      7
                                          16:57 Thursday, March 12, 2009

                         The CONTENTS Procedure

Data Set Name        WORK.SORTED               Observations          1  
Member Type          DATA                      Variables             4  
Engine               V9                        Indexes               0  
Created              Thursday, March 12,       Observation Length    16 
                     2009 04:57:42 PM                                   
Last Modified        Thursday, March 12,       Deleted Observations  0  
                     2009 04:57:42 PM                                   
Protection                                     Compressed            NO 
Data Set Type                                  Sorted                YES
Label                                                                   
Data Representation  WINDOWS_32                                         
Encoding             wlatin1  Western                                   
                     (Windows)                                          


                   Engine/Host Dependent Information

Data Set Page Size          4096                                        
Number of Data Set Pages    1                                           
First Data Page             1                                           
Max Obs per Page            252                                         
Obs in First Data Page      1                                           
Number of Data Set Repairs  0                                           
Filename                    C:\DOCUME~1\sasjrs\LOCALS~1\Temp\SAS        
                            Temporary Files\_TD536\sorted.sas7bdat      
Release Created             9.0201M0                                    
Host Created                XP_PRO                                      


               Alphabetic List of Variables and Attributes
 
                 #    Variable    Type    Len    Format

                 3    cecser      Char      3    $HEX6.
                 2    charvar     Char      1          
                 1    hexvar      Char      1    $HEX2.
                 4    startime    Num       8          


                            Sort Information

                     Sortedby       cecser startime
                     Validated      YES            
                     Character Set  ANSI           
                            dictionary.columns                          8
                                          16:57 Thursday, March 12, 2009

          Obs    name         libname    memname     transcode

            1    hexvar        WORK      ORIGINAL       no    
            2    charvar       WORK      ORIGINAL       yes   
            3    cecser        WORK      ORIGINAL       no    
            4    startime      WORK      ORIGINAL       yes   
            5    hexvar        WORK      SORTED         yes   
            6    charvar       WORK      SORTED         yes   
            7    cecser        WORK      SORTED         yes   
            8    startime      WORK      SORTED         yes   
            9    hexvar        WORK      TESTVIEW       yes   
           10    charvar       WORK      TESTVIEW       yes   
           11    cecser        WORK      TESTVIEW       yes   
           12    startime      WORK      TESTVIEW       yes   
           13    name          WORK      VREFS          yes   
           14    libname       WORK      VREFS          yes   
           15    memname       WORK      VREFS          yes   
           16    transcode     WORK      VREFS          yes   

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: