You don't mention OS but I'm thinking Windows, where the default is files that use "control character" to delimit records. This is fine for reading most data but when the data can have any value from 00x to FFx there can be problems. There are two ways in SAS that I know of to ignore record markers. RECFM = N or F. I think you need RECFM=F because you mention records and COBAL and record length. So on the FILENAME statement or the INFILE statement you need RECFM=F and LRECL=. The following example although contrived and cryptic illustrates the difference that these options can make.
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830 filename FT44F001 temp;
831 data _null_;
832 file FT44F001;
833 do x = '00'x,'1A'x;
834 put 'Hello' x $1.;
835 put x $1. 'hello';
836 end;
837 run;
NOTE: The file FT44F001 is:
File Name=C:\DOCUME~1\userid\LOCALS~1\Temp\SAS Temporary Files\_TD3336\#LN00024,
RECFM=V,LRECL=256
NOTE: 4 records were written to the file FT44F001.
The minimum record length was 6.
The maximum record length was 6.
NOTE: DATA statement used (Total process time):
real time 0.01 seconds
cpu time 0.00 seconds
838 Confusion:
839 data _null_;
840 infile FT44F001;
841 input;
842 list;
843 run;
NOTE: The infile FT44F001 is:
File Name=C:\DOCUME~1\userid\LOCALS~1\Temp\SAS Temporary Files\_TD3336\#LN00024,
RECFM=V,LRECL=256
RULE: ----+----1----+----2----+----3----+----4----+----5----+----6----+----7----+----8----+----9----+----0
1 CHAR Hello. 6
ZONE 466660
NUMR 85CCF0
RULE: ----+----1----+----2----+----3----+----4----+----5----+----6----+----7----+----8----+----9----+----0
2 CHAR .hello 6
ZONE 066666
NUMR 085CCF
3 Hello 5
NOTE: 3 records were read from the infile FT44F001.
The minimum record length was 5.
The maximum record length was 6.
NOTE: DATA statement used (Total process time):
real time 0.00 seconds
cpu time 0.00 seconds
844 Bliss:
845 data _null_;
846 infile FT44F001 recfm=f lrecl=8;
847 input;
848 list;
849 run;
NOTE: The infile FT44F001 is:
File Name=C:\DOCUME~1\userid\LOCALS~1\Temp\SAS Temporary Files\_TD3336\#LN00024,
RECFM=F,LRECL=8
RULE: ----+----1----+----2----+----3----+----4----+----5----+----6----+----7----+----8----+----9----+----0
1 CHAR Hello...
ZONE 46666000
NUMR 85CCF0DA
2 CHAR .hello..
ZONE 06666600
NUMR 085CCFDA
3 CHAR Hello...
ZONE 46666100
NUMR 85CCFADA
RULE: ----+----1----+----2----+----3----+----4----+----5----+----6----+----7----+----8----+----9----+----0
4 CHAR .hello..
ZONE 16666600
NUMR A85CCFDA
NOTE: 4 records were read from the infile FT44F001.
NOTE: DATA statement used (Total process time):
real time 0.00 seconds
cpu time 0.00 seconds
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