topic Re: Unable to open xls file in SAS Programming

Unable to open xls file

srinivasa_attot — Thu, 04 Jun 2026 06:57:54 GMT

Hi,

We are unable to open an .xls file generated by a SAS program on a local desktop. However, the same program works correctly when generating an .xlsx file.

Error message: “We found a problem with some content in <filename.xls>.”

This issue started occurring after upgrading to SAS 9.4 M8. The same functionality was working fine in SAS 9.4 M7.

Note: There are no special characters in the file.

Statement:
proc export data=sample outfile=/home/raju/filename.xls" dbms=xls
replace;
run;

Regards,
Srinivas

Re: Unable to open xls file

sbxkoenk — Thu, 04 Jun 2026 09:35:49 GMT

Are you running into this?

Problem Note 40383: An unreadable content error occurs when you open Microsoft Excel files that were created by a 64-bit Excel driver
https://support.sas.com/kb/40/383.html

BR, Koen

Re: Unable to open xls file

PaigeMiller — Thu, 04 Jun 2026 11:01:32 GMT

@srinivasa_attot wrote:

Statement:
proc export data=sample outfile=/home/raju/filename.xls" dbms=xls
replace;
run;

Is this a typographical error? You need a double quote after outfile= to match the double-quote at the end of the file name.

Re: Unable to open xls file

srinivasa_attot — Thu, 04 Jun 2026 11:21:12 GMT

It's a typo error.

Re: Unable to open xls file

srinivasa_attot — Thu, 04 Jun 2026 11:24:27 GMT

I tried the article, but it did not help.