Function Compatibility with SBCS, DBCS, and MBCS Character Sets

SAS string functions and CALL routines can be categorized by level numbers that are used in internationalization. I18N is the abbreviation for internationalization, and indicates string functions that can be adapted to different languages and locales without program changes.

I18N recognizes the following three levels that identify the character sets that you can use:

For more information about function compatibility, see Internationalization Compatibility for SAS String Functions in SAS National Language Support (NLS): Reference Guide.

I18N Level 0 functions are designed for use with Single Byte Character Sets (SBCS) only.

I18N Level 1 functions should be avoided, if possible, if you are using a non-English language. The I18N Level 1 functions might not work correctly with Double Byte Character Set (DBCS) or Multi-Byte Character Set (MBCS) encodings under certain circumstances.

I18N Level 2 functions are designed for use with SBCS, DBCS, and MBCS (UTF8).