When the IMPORT procedure, the Import Wizard, or EFI encounters a datetime value that contains multiple zeros in the time portion, a format of DATE28. is assigned to the value. An example of a datetime value with the DATE28. format assigned is 02-DEC-13 12.00.00.000000 AM.

The DATE28. format is invalid because the width portion of the format is larger than the maximum width of 11. An error message like the following is returned for the FORMAT statement in the generated DATA step code in the SAS log:

ERROR 29-185: Width specified for format DATE is invalid.

If you are using the IMPORT procedure in SAS^® 9.3 or later to read an external file, you can do one of the following to circumvent the problem:

• Recall the generated DATA step code from the SAS log if you are running SAS interactively. Modify the INFORMAT and FORMAT statements for the variable with the invalid width by changing the informat and format to DATETIME28. in both statements. You can recall the generated DATA step code after running PROC IMPORT by selecting Run ► Recall Last Submit from the SAS menu bar.
• Use a DATA step with INFILE and INPUT statements to read the external file instead of using the IMPORT procedure.

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