about table name longer than 32 character and data types in SAS

[Mark_sas]

As mentioned in my SGF talk, the 9.5 release of SAS is currently slated to contain long name support (i.e., up to 255 characters) for member names of type DATA, VIEW, and ITEMSTOR, as well as variable names for DATA, VIEW, and PROGRAM.

Those interested in a copy of the paper associated with my talk can contact their SAS account representative, asking them to request the latest version from me.

[SASKiwi]

Am I correct in assuming that SAS client tools like EG will support long names if connected to a SAS 9.5 server, including the displaying of long external database table names and columns?

[ChrisHemedinger]

Hi @SASKiwi - reasonable expectation, yes.  Though it may take a little while for all clients to be in sync with that.

BTW, we also updated the SASWare Ballot items about the 32-char limit and plans for lifting it.  No more detail than @Mark_sas shared here, but it is something to look forward to.

[MRDM]

Is there a rough ETA for 9.5? I know M releases normally come around September but am unsure about 'major' releases? I'm attending the UK forum in a month so there maybe more info by then.

Thanks

[Mark_sas]

The current target for 9.5 is the end of this year.

[paul_mccoy]

Has there been any progress with this? Everyone I've asked at SAS knows nothing about the release of 9.5!

[SASKiwi]

@paul_mccoy - As far as I'm aware SAS 9.5 is still being planned but with no official release timing. From what SAS tell me there is more happening with SAS 9.4, particularly to resolve SAS's use of the Adobe Flash player. I guess that means SAS 9.5 is at least another 12 months away and probably later rather than sooner.

[MRDM]

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@Mark_sas wrote:

As mentioned in my SGF talk, the 9.5 release of SAS is currently slated to contain long name support (i.e., up to 255 characters) for member names of type DATA, VIEW, and ITEMSTOR, as well as variable names for DATA, VIEW, and PROGRAM.

Those interested in a copy of the paper associated with my talk can contact their SAS account representative, asking them to request the latest version from me.

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Hi Mark, as 9.5 seems to have fizzled away for the time being, any chance this made it into 9.4 M6? Thanks.

[JBailey]

Hi @MRDM

Unfortunately, long names and data types were not released in SAS 9.4M6.

Best wishes,

Jeff

[MRDM]

Any update on this, it is now causing us major issues and the fix has been coming for years.

[SASKiwi]

@MRDM  - As far as I'm aware the 9.4 life cycle was extended, currently still 9.4M6 but with 9.4M7 due out later in 2020. I haven't heard anything further regarding 9.5.

IMO most development effort now seems to be concentrated on the SAS Viya platform with a significant push to encourage SAS9 users to gradually migrate to the new cloud-ready technology. I wouldn't surprise me if the 32 character limit issue was fixed in Viya rather than SAS9.   

[TomKari]

Hi @MRDM 

I concur with @SASKiwi that there's a very good chance that correcting this is likely to happen first in Viya. I've been trying the Viya trial, and I'm finding it appears to be quite suitable for production work. I suggest you investigate it.

Tom

[MRDM]

Very disapointing that years later despite promises and a eta of probably by the end of 2018 there won't be a fix. Thanks for taking the time to reply anyway.

A viya trial is no good to me as we're not going to switch a national infrastructure with a few hundred users and I'm not the person who would make that decision, even more so when we are currently migrating to 9.4 on AWS instead of our own hosting. It looks like we're stuck with this issue, unfortunately I'll have to investigate other products that can support basic features like tables on databases which is a shame as I like SAS, but missing basic functionality is increasingly becoming an issue (such as xml processing much slower than ssis).

[SASKiwi]

@MRDM - I can understand your disappointment. One of the reasons for extending the SAS 9.4 life cycle was to deal with the Adobe Flash Player end-of-life problem. A lot of effort had to be put into removal of Flash Player dependencies in 9.4 so customers could upgrade before the end of 2020. Once that is behind us, perhaps we will see some progress on other fronts.