How can I transfer format catalogs from the mainframe to behave the same on AIX system

[SteveLoyd]

All,

I am converting a system built on the mainframe to AIX.

Is there a way to take a format catalog from the mainframe and transfer to to AIX and have the format behave like it did on the mainframe (Use EBCDIC as encoding so it behaves the same way in AIX)?  The problem I am experiencing I believe has to do with the collating sequence difference from the mainframe.  When I use the format I transferred down from the mainframe using CPORT and CIMPORT procs the results are different when I invoke the format in code on AIX.  Below I have the format that I downloaded from the MF to AIX down from the mainframe and viewing in Enterprise Guide, Catalog and Formats Explorer.  On the MF when I use the value of "LAM" we get a hit and a value of "Y" is returned (which is correct).  In AIX LAM does not fall in the range and returns a blank value.  I have many more formats that I have downloaded from the mainframe and am hoping there is a way to download the formats and have them behave exactly like they did on the mainframe without having to go in and change them all individually.  There is also a version difference in the format.  The format is version 7|8 and I think we need to also convert the formats to version 9.  Let me know if I need to provide more details.  Appreciate any insight...

Mainframe:

     SAS (r) Proprietary Software 9.4 (TS1M6)

     Licensed to BNSF RAILWAY CO, Site 70009547

AIX:

     SAS Running on 64-bit Linux.

     --- Metadata Server Status ---
     Platform version: 9.4.6.0
     Model version: 16.01
     Server locale: en_US

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
| FORMAT NAME: $FTELOF LENGTH: 1 NUMBER OF VALUES: 30 |
| MIN LENGTH: 1 MAX LENGTH: 40 DEFAULT LENGTH: 1 FUZZ: 0 |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|START |END |LABEL (VER. V7|V8 04APR2017:12:49:04)|
|----------------+----------------+----------------------------------------|
|AW |AW9 |Y |
|KN |KN9 |Y |
|LA |LA9 |Y |
|LB |LB9 |Y |
|LD |LD9 |Y |
|LFE |LFE |Y |
|LFL |LFL |Y |
|LFM |LFM |Y |
|LME |LME |Y |
|LML |LML |Y |
|LMM |LMM |Y |
|LPC |LPC |Y |
|LPD |LPD |Y |
|LPI |LPI |Y |
|LPO |LPO |Y |
|LR |LR9 |Y |
|LS |LS9 |Y |
|LV |LV9 |Y |
|M1C |M1C |Y |
|M1D |M1D |Y |
|M1I |M1I |Y |
|M1O |M1O |Y |
|MA |MA9 |Y |
|MI |MI9 |Y |
|ML |ML9 |Y |
|OD |OD9 |Y |
|PI |PI9 |Y |
|SL |SL9 |Y |
|SU |SU9 |Y |
|**OTHER** |**OTHER** | |
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Kurt_Bremser · Accepted solution]

Create a format dataset with PROC FORMAT (CNTLOUT=).

Export it with PROC CPORT.

After transfer, import the dataset with PROC CIMPORT, then run PROC FORMAT (CNTLIN=).

It may be that you could use the CPORT/CIMPORT with the catalog itself.

[sbxkoenk]

The process described by @Kurt_Bremser is elaborated on here :

• Usage Note 22194: How to use the CNTLOUT= and CNTLIN= options in PROC FORMAT to move formats from one platform to another?
  https://support.sas.com/kb/22/194.html
• Controlling your formats
  By Jerry Leonard on SAS Users December 4, 2017
  https://blogs.sas.com/content/sgf/2017/12/04/controlling-your-formats/
• SAS Formats and the FORMAT Procedure Handout - LexJansen
  https://www.lexjansen.com/wuss/2015/159_Final_Paper_PDF.pdf

Koen