SUPPORT / SAMPLES & SAS NOTES
Problem Note 67821: Using the EXPORT procedure with the XLS engine and a fileref for the OUTFILE= argument creates a corrupted Excel file
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When you use PROC EXPORT with the XLS engine and a file reference (fileref) for the OUTFILE= argument, the Microsoft Excel file can become corrupted.
The following code demonstrates this issue:
filename reffile "/home/sas/cars.xls";
proc export data=sashelp.cars outfile=reffile dbms=xls replace;
run;
proc export data=sashelp.cars outfile=reffile dbms=xls replace;
run;
When you open the resulting file, the following message appears in Excel:
We found a problem with some content in 'cars.xls'. Do you want us to try to recover as much as we can? If you trust the source of this workbook, click Yes.
There are two possible workarounds.
Workaround 1
Do not use a fileref for the OUTFILE= argument. The following code provides an example of this workaround:
proc export data=sashelp.cars outfile="/home/sas/cars.xls" dbms=xls replace;
run;
run;
Workaround 2
Use the SHEET= option. The following syntax provides an example of this workaround:
filename reffile "cars.xls";
proc export data=sashelp.cars outfile=reffile dbms=xls replace;
sheet="sheet-name";
run;
proc export data=sashelp.cars outfile=reffile dbms=xls replace;
sheet="sheet-name";
run;
Click the Hot Fix tab in this note for a link to instructions about accessing and applying the software update.
Operating System and Release Information
| Product Family | Product | System | Product Release | SAS Release | ||
| Reported | Fixed* | Reported | Fixed* | |||
| SAS System | SAS Viya | Microsoft® Windows® for x64 | 3.5 | 3.5 | Viya | Viya |
| Microsoft Windows 8 Enterprise 32-bit | 3.5 | Viya | ||||
| Microsoft Windows 8 Enterprise x64 | 3.5 | 3.5 | Viya | Viya | ||
| Microsoft Windows 8 Pro 32-bit | 3.5 | Viya | ||||
| Microsoft Windows 8 Pro x64 | 3.5 | 3.5 | Viya | Viya | ||
| Microsoft Windows 8.1 Enterprise 32-bit | 3.5 | Viya | ||||
| Microsoft Windows 8.1 Enterprise x64 | 3.5 | 3.5 | Viya | Viya | ||
| Microsoft Windows 8.1 Pro 32-bit | 3.5 | Viya | ||||
| Microsoft Windows 8.1 Pro x64 | 3.5 | 3.5 | Viya | Viya | ||
| Microsoft Windows 10 | 3.5 | 3.5 | Viya | Viya | ||
| Microsoft Windows 95/98 | 3.5 | Viya | ||||
| Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server | 3.5 | Viya | ||||
| Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server | 3.5 | Viya | ||||
| Microsoft Windows 2000 Server | 3.5 | Viya | ||||
| Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional | 3.5 | Viya | ||||
| Microsoft Windows NT Workstation | 3.5 | Viya | ||||
| Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Datacenter Edition | 3.5 | Viya | ||||
| Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition | 3.5 | Viya | ||||
| Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition | 3.5 | Viya | ||||
| Microsoft Windows Server 2003 for x64 | 3.5 | 3.5 | Viya | Viya | ||
| Microsoft Windows Server 2008 | 3.5 | Viya | ||||
| Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 | 3.5 | 3.5 | Viya | Viya | ||
| Microsoft Windows Server 2008 for x64 | 3.5 | 3.5 | Viya | Viya | ||
| Microsoft Windows Server 2012 Datacenter | 3.5 | 3.5 | Viya | Viya | ||
| Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2 Datacenter | 3.5 | 3.5 | Viya | Viya | ||
| Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2 Std | 3.5 | 3.5 | Viya | Viya | ||
| Microsoft Windows Server 2012 Std | 3.5 | 3.5 | Viya | Viya | ||
| Microsoft Windows Server 2016 | 3.5 | 3.5 | Viya | Viya | ||
| Microsoft Windows Server 2019 | 3.5 | Viya | ||||
| Microsoft Windows XP Professional | 3.5 | Viya | ||||
| Windows 7 Enterprise 32 bit | 3.5 | Viya | ||||
| Windows 7 Enterprise x64 | 3.5 | 3.5 | Viya | Viya | ||
| Windows 7 Home Premium 32 bit | 3.5 | Viya | ||||
| Windows 7 Home Premium x64 | 3.5 | 3.5 | Viya | Viya | ||
| Windows 7 Professional 32 bit | 3.5 | Viya | ||||
| Windows 7 Professional x64 | 3.5 | 3.5 | Viya | Viya | ||
| Windows 7 Ultimate 32 bit | 3.5 | Viya | ||||
| Windows 7 Ultimate x64 | 3.5 | 3.5 | Viya | Viya | ||
| Windows Millennium Edition (Me) | 3.5 | Viya | ||||
| Windows Vista | 3.5 | Viya | ||||
| Windows Vista for x64 | 3.5 | 3.5 | Viya | Viya | ||
| Linux for x64 | 3.5 | 3.5 | Viya | Viya | ||
| SAS System | Base SAS | z/OS | 9.4_M7 | 9.4_M8 | 9.4 TS1M7 | 9.4 TS1M8 |
| z/OS 64-bit | 9.4_M7 | 9.4_M8 | 9.4 TS1M7 | 9.4 TS1M8 | ||
| Microsoft® Windows® for x64 | 9.4_M7 | 9.4_M8 | 9.4 TS1M7 | 9.4 TS1M8 | ||
| Microsoft Windows 8 Enterprise 32-bit | 9.4_M7 | 9.4_M8 | 9.4 TS1M7 | 9.4 TS1M8 | ||
| Microsoft Windows 8 Enterprise x64 | 9.4_M7 | 9.4_M8 | 9.4 TS1M7 | 9.4 TS1M8 | ||
| Microsoft Windows 8 Pro 32-bit | 9.4_M7 | 9.4_M8 | 9.4 TS1M7 | 9.4 TS1M8 | ||
| Microsoft Windows 8 Pro x64 | 9.4_M7 | 9.4_M8 | 9.4 TS1M7 | 9.4 TS1M8 | ||
| Microsoft Windows 8.1 Enterprise 32-bit | 9.4_M7 | 9.4_M8 | 9.4 TS1M7 | 9.4 TS1M8 | ||
| Microsoft Windows 8.1 Enterprise x64 | 9.4_M7 | 9.4_M8 | 9.4 TS1M7 | 9.4 TS1M8 | ||
| Microsoft Windows 8.1 Pro 32-bit | 9.4_M7 | 9.4_M8 | 9.4 TS1M7 | 9.4 TS1M8 | ||
| Microsoft Windows 8.1 Pro x64 | 9.4_M7 | 9.4_M8 | 9.4 TS1M7 | 9.4 TS1M8 | ||
| Microsoft Windows 10 | 9.4_M7 | 9.4_M8 | 9.4 TS1M7 | 9.4 TS1M8 | ||
| Microsoft Windows Server 2008 | 9.4_M7 | 9.4 TS1M7 | ||||
| Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 | 9.4_M7 | 9.4 TS1M7 | ||||
| Microsoft Windows Server 2008 for x64 | 9.4_M7 | 9.4 TS1M7 | ||||
| Microsoft Windows Server 2012 Datacenter | 9.4_M7 | 9.4_M8 | 9.4 TS1M7 | 9.4 TS1M8 | ||
| Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2 Datacenter | 9.4_M7 | 9.4_M8 | 9.4 TS1M7 | 9.4 TS1M8 | ||
| Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2 Std | 9.4_M7 | 9.4_M8 | 9.4 TS1M7 | 9.4 TS1M8 | ||
| Microsoft Windows Server 2012 Std | 9.4_M7 | 9.4_M8 | 9.4 TS1M7 | 9.4 TS1M8 | ||
| Microsoft Windows Server 2016 | 9.4_M7 | 9.4_M8 | 9.4 TS1M7 | 9.4 TS1M8 | ||
| Microsoft Windows Server 2019 | 9.4_M7 | 9.4_M8 | 9.4 TS1M7 | 9.4 TS1M8 | ||
| Windows 7 Enterprise 32 bit | 9.4_M7 | 9.4_M8 | 9.4 TS1M7 | 9.4 TS1M8 | ||
| Windows 7 Enterprise x64 | 9.4_M7 | 9.4_M8 | 9.4 TS1M7 | 9.4 TS1M8 | ||
| Windows 7 Home Premium 32 bit | 9.4_M7 | 9.4_M8 | 9.4 TS1M7 | 9.4 TS1M8 | ||
| Windows 7 Home Premium x64 | 9.4_M7 | 9.4_M8 | 9.4 TS1M7 | 9.4 TS1M8 | ||
| Windows 7 Professional 32 bit | 9.4_M7 | 9.4_M8 | 9.4 TS1M7 | 9.4 TS1M8 | ||
| Windows 7 Professional x64 | 9.4_M7 | 9.4_M8 | 9.4 TS1M7 | 9.4 TS1M8 | ||
| Windows 7 Ultimate 32 bit | 9.4_M7 | 9.4_M8 | 9.4 TS1M7 | 9.4 TS1M8 | ||
| Windows 7 Ultimate x64 | 9.4_M7 | 9.4_M8 | 9.4 TS1M7 | 9.4 TS1M8 | ||
| 64-bit Enabled AIX | 9.4_M7 | 9.4_M8 | 9.4 TS1M7 | 9.4 TS1M8 | ||
| 64-bit Enabled Solaris | 9.4_M7 | 9.4_M8 | 9.4 TS1M7 | 9.4 TS1M8 | ||
| HP-UX IPF | 9.4_M7 | 9.4_M8 | 9.4 TS1M7 | 9.4 TS1M8 | ||
| Linux for x64 | 9.4_M7 | 9.4_M8 | 9.4 TS1M7 | 9.4 TS1M8 | ||
| Solaris for x64 | 9.4_M7 | 9.4_M8 | 9.4 TS1M7 | 9.4 TS1M8 | ||