Hack 7.6 Determining SAS Files Types by Their Extensions

SAS Programming Professionals,

Did you know that you can quickly determine the nature of SAS files when viewing them on your operating system via their file extension? 

Knowing what SAS file type corresponds to the file extension can be handy when combing through directories in Windows Explorer or in native Linux.  Here are the file extensions:

Easy:

·        .sas      - SAS program

·        .log      - SAS log

·        .lst      - SAS list

·        .sas7bdat - SAS data set

More Obscure:

·        .sas7bndx - SAS index

·        .sas7bcat - SAS catalog

·        .sas7bvew - SAS view

Most Obscure:

·        .sas7bmdb - SAS MDDB

·        .sas7bitm - SAS Itemstore

You can get a list of SAS file extensions for you particular environment by accessing the SAS online documentation and viewing the SAS Companion document for that operating system.  For example, if you were using Windows, you would access the SAS 9.4 Companion for Windows and search for “file extension”.  That will net you a web page with a very nice table of SAS file extensions.  Check it out!

Best of luck in all your SAS endeavors!

---MMMMIIIIKKKKEEEE

(aka Michael A. Raithel)

Author of the new cult classic for computer programmers:  It Only Hurts When I Hit <ENTER>
Print edition:  http://tinyurl.com/z8bzx2e 
Kindle edition: http://tinyurl.com/zypgqa7 

The hack above is an excerpt from the book:  Did You Know That?  Essential Hacks for Clever SAS Programmers

http://tinyurl.com/zfd67rh