topic Re: Convert CSV file to SAS Table (sas7bdat) in SAS Programming

Convert CSV file to SAS Table (sas7bdat)

pedromagalhaes — Tue, 14 Oct 2014 13:51:51 GMT

I have a huge CSV file, and i want to convert it to a SAS Table. I know that i can use SAS to make an import, but i am interested in create the SAS table using, for example, C++, python or any available library.

For example, in SPSS i can easily create a SAS Table using the command "Save as type" to SAS v9+ Windows (*.sas7bdat). And it not necessary to have the SAS installed.

Is there any library to make this?

Re: Convert CSV file to SAS Table (sas7bdat)

art297 — Tue, 14 Oct 2014 14:06:33 GMT

You can use R to write a SAS export file. See: Can anyone help me write a R data frame as a SAS data set? - Stack Overflow

Re: Convert CSV file to SAS Table (sas7bdat)

pedromagalhaes — Tue, 14 Oct 2014 14:11:11 GMT

Thanks for the response! The next challenge is to call a R function from Java/C++, for example.

If anyone know a library to C++ or Java, it will be amazing!

Re: Convert CSV file to SAS Table (sas7bdat)

LinusH — Tue, 14 Oct 2014 14:13:34 GMT

So you need SAS to import the export file, why would it be better to just import the original CSV-file?

What's the application, why do you want to create SAS data files if you don't have SAS?

Re: Convert CSV file to SAS Table (sas7bdat)

art297 — Tue, 14 Oct 2014 14:14:00 GMT

R isn't a function, it's a program. Here is an example of calling it from Java: Call R from JAVA to get Chi-squared statistic and p-value - Stack Overflow

Re: Convert CSV file to SAS Table (sas7bdat)

pedromagalhaes — Tue, 14 Oct 2014 14:16:32 GMT

We have a ETL process. The ouput of the process is a csv file, in different formats.

The user always get this file and import using SAS. I would like to import it for him generating a SAS Table, using a library/DLL. That's the use case.

Re: Convert CSV file to SAS Table (sas7bdat)

pedromagalhaes — Tue, 14 Oct 2014 14:19:17 GMT

I know that R is language. But what i actually need to do is to call this function (something like this):

write.xport(df = test.df, datafile = 'test.sas7bdat', codefile = 'test.txt', package = "SAS")

Or i call the function, or execute a R Script for load the SAS table.

Re: Convert CSV file to SAS Table (sas7bdat)

LinusH — Tue, 14 Oct 2014 15:11:39 GMT

Still, by using R, you don't get a SAS table, you'll end up with a SAS transport file. The process to import that is very similar to import a csv-file...?

Re: Convert CSV file to SAS Table (sas7bdat)

pedromagalhaes — Tue, 14 Oct 2014 18:57:03 GMT

So, I dont have a way to create a sas7bdat ?

I will have another file (similiar to CSV) that i need to import to SAS.

Why SAS dont give, for example, a DLL to create the sas7bdat? i really doesnt understand..

Re: Convert CSV file to SAS Table (sas7bdat)

Reeza — Tue, 14 Oct 2014 19:45:31 GMT

Because they want to sell SAS software?

Python can call R functions/libraries fairly easily, but that's a question that's best posted on a python/java/C forums rather than here if you think about it

Re: Convert CSV file to SAS Table (sas7bdat)

art297 — Tue, 14 Oct 2014 20:09:41 GMT

Conversely, for $300 you can purchase a program that can be called from your code. Take a look at: StatTransfer.com | The Command Processor

Re: Convert CSV file to SAS Table (sas7bdat)

pedromagalhaes — Tue, 14 Oct 2014 21:43:44 GMT

If SAS make possible to generate a (sas7bdat) i will give him a FREE user... I translate my CSV fil to (sas7bdat) and now only a user with SAS can read it. So the user has to buy SAS license. So i think this argument is invalid.

Re: Convert CSV file to SAS Table (sas7bdat)

LinusH — Tue, 14 Oct 2014 21:56:48 GMT

I kinda agree. It's not the data sets themselves that is the big thing with SAS, it's everything you can do with the data within them.

So, when we awaits SAS to change their policy, tell us more about your SAS user(s),What kind are they, what SAS software/platform do they use? Chances are that yo can up with alternative ways to make your csv easily available to them. One way (if you csv-files have the same structure) is to create a data step view for the customer. Then they can change the csv-file, and the new data will be available instantly.

Re: Convert CSV file to SAS Table (sas7bdat)

Reeza — Tue, 14 Oct 2014 22:02:56 GMT

Why not dump it to a SQLite database and install a the SQLite ODBC driver on your users computer.

The end user can access it as a database no different than any other SAS dataset?

Re: Convert CSV file to SAS Table (sas7bdat)

art297 — Tue, 14 Oct 2014 22:02:58 GMT

While I, too, have always wished that SAS would change their policy, one could easily rebut your argument. SAS already has your customer and (it sounds like) you could lose your customer if you can't provide what they want. That is why I suggested alternatives.

Re: Convert CSV file to SAS Table (sas7bdat)

Reeza — Tue, 14 Oct 2014 22:26:17 GMT

No, you're converting it to accommodate a SAS user. You'd have to buy a license to do so, providing SAS another customer.

I don't agree with this policy, but I sort of understand. And at any respects some people have reverse engineered it, otherwise WPS wouldn't exist, just not really open source.

I thought R could but not willing to look into it now.

There's also the free SAS analytics U edition you could use, which would violate the license I'm sure.