topic Re: Generating native .XLS files with ODS Excel in ODS and Base Reporting

Generating native .XLS files with ODS Excel

aandrewn — Wed, 14 Jul 2021 14:24:52 GMT

Hi all, I know the ODS Excel destination allows for native .XLSX files, but is there a way to generate older .XLS files using ODS Excel?

I am working with an old system/application that only allows for XLS files. I know there is proc export and other options to output as an .XLS however I need the functionality of ODS to get the formatted output I'm looking for. Also I don't want to tagsets - I have a macro that uses DDE to open the .xml file and save it as a true .xls file, however this is not reliable in a batch environment. Hoping there is an argument/parameter I'm not familiar with when using ODS Excel.

Thanks!

Re: Generating native .XLS files with ODS Excel

Tom — Wed, 14 Jul 2021 14:27:10 GMT

I don't think you can do this and I doubt that SAS will spend any time developing something to produce an old (and proprietary) format.

Re: Generating native .XLS files with ODS Excel

aandrewn — Wed, 14 Jul 2021 14:30:42 GMT

Thanks Tom - I generally agree but was/am hoping there is something. Ideally our systems get upgraded but there doesn't seem to be an immediate interest in that either.

Re: Generating native .XLS files with ODS Excel

Reeza — Wed, 14 Jul 2021 14:35:49 GMT

Not besides PROC EXPORT unfortunately but I'm assuming you're using ODS EXCEL for some formatting/styling. But that also doesn't make a ton of sense if it's going into another application which implies a data feed...

Re: Generating native .XLS files with ODS Excel

Kurt_Bremser — Wed, 14 Jul 2021 14:37:16 GMT

ODS EXCEL can only create XLSX files. The XLS format is completely different, and needs (at least in the case of SAS) MS-supplied, Windows-only modules to create/access them.

Up to the introduction of ODS EXCEL, ODS TAGSETS.EXCELXP was the way to go.

An application that has not been maintained for decades (XLSX was introduced in 2007) may not be dead yet, but it sure smells funny.