Identifying the SAS Version Used to Create a File under UNIX

This table identifies the supported file types that are created under the UNIX operating environment by member and SAS version:

UNIX Filename Extensions by Member and SAS Version

Member Type	SAS 6 Filename Extension	SAS 8 and Later Filename Extension
SAS	.sas	.sas
PROGRAM (DATA step)	.sspnn	.sas7bpgm
DATA	.ssdnn	.sas7bdat
INDEX	.snxnn	.sas7bndx
CATALOG	.sctnn	.sas7bcat
MDDB	.ssmnn	.sas7bmdb
PROC SQL view	.snvnn	.sas7bvew

In this table, nn is an extension that is used to differentiate among UNIX computer architectures. Here are the extensions and UNIX operating environment groups:

UNIX Operating Environment Filename Extensions

SAS Filename Extension nn	UNIX Operating Environment Group	Supported by SAS Release
SAS Filename Extension nn	UNIX Operating Environment Group	6.09	6.10	6.11	6.12
01	HP-UX	Yes	Not applicable	Yes	Yes
	Sun	Yes	Not applicable	Yes	Yes
	Solaris	Yes	Not applicable	Yes	Yes
	AIX	Yes	Not applicable	Yes	Yes
	MIPS ABI	Not applicable	Yes	Yes	Not applicable
02	ULTRIX	Yes	Not applicable	Not applicable	Not applicable
02	INTEL-ABI	Yes	Not applicable	Yes	Yes
04	COMPAQ Digital UNIX	Not applicable	Yes	Yes	Yes

SAS 9 and SAS 8 filename extensions are identical.

Because data sets are interchangeable among HP-UX, Sun, Solaris, AIX, and MIPS operating environments, the creation of a transport file for moving among them is not necessary. Catalogs are also interchangeable among AIX, HP-UX, Sun, Solaris, and MIPS operating environments.

You can also use the CONTENTS procedure to display information about the data.

Here is an excerpt of typical PROC CONTENTS output, which identifies the member and the engine that was used to create it:

       The SAS System
    The CONTENTS Procedure
Data Set Name: TEST.RECORDS
Member Type:   DATA
Engine:        V9

The output shows that the data set TEST.RECORDS is a member of type DATA, and that it was created with the V9 engine.