Moving and Accessing SAS Files between Operating Environments

Strategies for Moving and Accessing SAS Files

You can use these strategies to move or access SAS files:

Cross-Environment Data Access (CEDA)

This feature of SAS enables a SAS file that was created in any directory-based operating environment (for example, Solaris, Windows, HP-UX, OpenVMS) to be processed by a SAS session that is running in another directory-based environment.

CPORT and CIMPORT procedures

In the source environment, you can use PROC CPORT to write data sets or catalogs to transport format. In the target environment, PROC CIMPORT can be used to translate the transport file into the target environment's native format.

XPORT engine with DATA step or PROC COPY

In the source environment, you can use the LIBNAME statement with the XPORT engine and either the DATA step or PROC COPY to create a transport file from a SAS data set. In the target environment, the same method can be used to translate the transport file into the target environment's native format.

Note: The XPORT engine does not support SAS 8 and later features, such as long file and variable names. [cautionend]

XML engine with DATA step or PROC COPY

In the source environment, you can use the LIBNAME statement with the XML engine and either the DATA step or PROC COPY to create an XML document from a SAS data set. In the target environment, the same method can be used to translate the XML document into the target environment's native format.

Data Transfer Services (DTS) in SAS/CONNECT

This feature enables you to transfer data sets and catalogs from the source environment to the target environment. DTS dynamically translates the data between operating environment representations and SAS versions, as necessary. The transfer is accomplished using the SIGNON statement to connect two SAS sessions and then PROC UPLOAD or PROC DOWNLOAD to move the data.

REMOTE engine and Remote Library Services in SAS/SHARE and SAS/CONNECT

These features give you transparent access to remote data using the REMOTE engine and the LIBNAME statement.

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