topic Re: XPT file example in v8 format? in SAS Programming

XPT file example in v8 format?

romankuzmik — Fri, 28 Feb 2020 22:08:36 GMT

I am implementing "Record Layout for a SAS Version 8 or 9 Data Set in SAS Transport Format" specification in Java/Groovy to be able to export XPT files from our proprietary application. We have "Record Layout for a SAS Version 5 or 6 Data Set in SAS Transport Format" implemented already and it generates valid XPT files I can open with SAS Universal Viewer. But the one generated according to v8 specification won't open in SAS Universal Viewer. btw, we use latest 1.4.2 version.

Can anyone provide me with actually working V8 XPT with some dummy data so I can compare with my files to understand where I am doing a mistake in my implementation.

Thanks! I do not have an access to actual SAS system and thus unable to generate XPT myself.

Re: XPT file example in v8 format?

Reeza — Sat, 29 Feb 2020 20:12:30 GMT

That would likely violate the SAS licenses, since it's proprietary. I would recommend instead consider using the haven package from python or a similar package from R instead.

Re: XPT file example in v8 format?

romankuzmik — Sat, 29 Feb 2020 20:52:15 GMT

The V8 transport specification is nonproprietary.

https://documentation.sas.com/?docsetId=movefile&docsetTarget=n1h21k9w9rnhz3n1lrk8s9eib2bt.htm&docsetVersion=9.4&locale=en

Re: XPT file example in v8 format?

Reeza — Sat, 29 Feb 2020 22:26:22 GMT

Or use a publicly available file so it doesn’t matter?
https://www.cdc.gov/brfss/annual_data/annual_1990.htm

Re: XPT file example in v8 format?

Tom — Sun, 01 Mar 2020 04:01:17 GMT

That file is just using normal V5 transport format.

Re: XPT file example in v8 format?

ChrisNZ — Sun, 01 Mar 2020 21:14:31 GMT

@romankuzmik Did you get what you need?

Re: XPT file example in v8 format?

romankuzmik — Mon, 02 Mar 2020 01:28:48 GMT

yes, got an access to SAS system and just generated V8.

bit surprised no one here could of generate this file for me.

Re: XPT file example in v8 format?

ChrisNZ — Mon, 02 Mar 2020 02:07:18 GMT

Glad it all worked out in the end.

While it does seem that the specs are public, people are cautious about all things involving legal liability.

We'd have asked an admin for their opinion if you still needed help.

Re: XPT file example in v8 format?

Ksenia2 — Thu, 28 Jan 2021 08:47:52 GMT

Hello! I have the same issue, I need a dummy XPORT file in v8 format to test our Java open source parser that is going to support reading XPORT files. I wasn't able to find any publicly available .v8xpt, .xpt8, or .2xpt file on the Internet. I don't have access to any SAS system. I would be really grateful if somebody could share such file.

Re: XPT file example in v8 format?

Kurt_Bremser — Thu, 28 Jan 2021 08:54:02 GMT

See attached file. It was created with PROC CPORT from SASHELP.CLASS and then zipped for uploading here.

Re: XPT file example in v8 format?

Ksenia2 — Fri, 29 Jan 2021 14:41:42 GMT

Thank you, but looks like it's still in V5, not V8 format 😞 According to the format documentation:

"The first header record consists of the following character string, in ASCII:
HEADER RECORD*******LIBV8 HEADER RECORD!!!!!!!000000000000000000000000000000"

And in the attached file it is

"HEADER RECORD*******LIBRARY HEADER RECORD!!!!!!!000000000000000000000000000000"

Re: XPT file example in v8 format?

Tom — Fri, 29 Jan 2021 15:35:10 GMT

A CPORT file is not an XPORT file.

To make a V5 XPORT file you can use the XPORT engine. But to make a V8 (or V9) XPORT file you have to use the SAS supplied macros (or write your own method). Make sure when using the macro what type it generates, it might downgrade to V5 format automatically if your input dataset does not need any of the enhanced features.