Converting User-Written Informats from Earlier Releases to SAS 9.3

Introduction to Converting User-Written Informats from Earlier Releases to SAS 9.3

You must convert Release 6.04, Release 6.06, and Release 6.08 user-written informats and formats to their SAS 9.3 counterparts before you can use them in a SAS 9.3 program. The only exception to this rule is user-written informats and formats created by Release 6.08 or later under Windows; these informats and formats can be read directly from your Windows SAS session. (footnote1)

Converting Version 6 User-Written Informats

You can convert Release 6.04, 6.06, and 6.08 SAS catalogs that contain user-written informats and formats by using one of the following methods:

Converting Release 6.04 catalogs

use the CNTLOUT= option in the PROC FORMAT statement in Release 6.04 to create an output data set, and then use the CNTLIN= option in the PROC FORMAT statement in SAS 9.3 to create the SAS 9.3 informats or formats. You must use the V604 engine in your SAS 9.3 session to read the data set. This method also works for converting from Release 6.06 or Release 6.08.

Converting Release 6.06 or Release 6.08 catalogs

use the CPORT and CIMPORT procedures to convert the informats and formats. For more information about the CPORT and CIMPORT procedures, see Base SAS Procedures Guide. This method works for converting from Release 6.06 or Release 6.08 only; it does not work for converting from Release 6.04.

Converting Version 5 User-Written Informats

You must also convert Version 5 user-written informats and formats to their SAS 9.3 counterparts before you can use them in a SAS 9.3 program. (This implies that you are not only converting these files, but are also transferring them from a remote operating system to your PC). You can convert them using one of the following methods:

Use the V5TOV6 procedure on the remote operating environment to convert the informats and formats to Version 6 format. This implies that the remote operating environment has access to Version 6 SAS software. Then, transport the converted informats and formats (as binary files) to your Windows operating environment and use the CIMPORT procedure to complete the conversion.

Note: The V5TOV6 procedure is not available in SAS 9.3. You must use this procedure in Release 6 of SAS.
Use the SAS Global Forum supplemental procedure FMTLIB under Version 5 on the remote operating environment to create an output data set, transport that data set to your PC, and then use the CNTLIN= option in the PROC FORMAT statement in SAS 9.3 to create the SAS 9.3 informats or formats.

FOOTNOTE 1:However, it is recommended that you use PROC CPORT and PROC CIMPORT to convert older Windows catalogs that contain user-written informats and formats to SAS 9.3 if you no longer need to use them in previous releases.[return]