Using EFI and selecting User-Defined Formats to read an external file will return incorrect results. After doing a FILE-IMPORT DATA to invoke EFI, and providing the location of the external file, the name of the SAS data and clicking FINISH, the IMPORT:LIST window will appear.

Normally, you would see a sample of your external file in the FROM panel (left) and what your SAS data set will look like in the TO panel (right) after modifying the options in the OPTIONS window.

Beginning in SAS 9.2 TS2M2 the FROM window is blank regardless of whether you modify the options in the OPTION window or not. The circumvention at this time is to use either PROC IMPORT or IMPORT WIZARD to read the external file.

Operating System and Release Information

A fix for this issue for Base SAS 9.21_M3 is available at: