Accessing an External File with an FTP Server or an HTTP Server :: SAS® Data Integration Studio 4.902: User's Guide

Problem

You want to access an external file that is located on either an HTTP server or an FTP server. The Delimited External File wizard and the Fixed Width External File wizard prompt you to specify the physical path to an external file. By default, a SAS Application Server is used to access the file. However, you can access the file with an HTTP server, HTTPS server, or FTP server if that server is registered to the current metadata server.

Note: If you use a method other than a SAS Application Server to access an external file, then the Preview button on the External File Location page, the File tab on the Columns Definition page, and the Auto Fill button on the Columns Definition page do not work.

Solution

You can select the server in the FTP Server field or the HTTP Server field. These fields are located on the Access Method tab in the Advanced File Location Settings window.

Tasks

Select an HTTP Server or an FTP Server

Perform the following steps to select an HTTP server or an FTP server in the external file wizards:

Right-click the destination folder for the external file metadata. Then, open the appropriate external file wizard and navigate to the External File Location page.
Click Advanced. The Advanced File Location Settings window displays.
Click the Access Method tab. Then, select either the FTP check box or the URL check box.
Select either an FTP server or an HTTP server in the FTP Server field or the HTTP Server field. Click OK to save the setting and close the Advanced File Location Settings window.
Specify a physical path for the external file. The path must be appropriate for the server that you selected.
Enter other metadata for the external file as prompted by the wizard.

Additional Information

For details about defining metadata for an HTTP server, HTTPS server, or an FTP server, administrators should see the section on "Enabling the External File Wizards to Retrieve Files Using FTP or HTTP" in the "SAS Data Integration Studio" chapter of SAS Intelligence Platform: Desktop Application Administration Guide. Also see the usage note "Accessing Data With Methods Other Than the SAS Application Server" in the "Usage Notes for External Files" topic in SAS Data Integration Studio Help.