SAS/ACCESS Software for Relational Databases: Reference

Version 8 Compatibility for Version 6 Procedures

Under Version 7 and later of SAS/ACCESS software, the ACCESS and DBLOAD procedures continue to be supported for the DBMSs and operating environments on which they were supported in Version 6. You can still create SAS/ACCESS descriptor files to access or load DBMS data. There are some changes and enhancements to the ways in which these features work:

The SAS Explorer window replaces the ACCESS window and its functionality.
The ACCESS procedure has been enhanced by the UPDATE statement, which enables you to edit and update access descriptors and view descriptors in SAS code.
The DBLOAD procedure has been enhanced by the APPEND statement, which enables you to append data to an existing DBMS table.
Access descriptor, view descriptor, and SAS variable names, when used in the ACCESS and DBLOAD procedures, are still limited to 8 characters.
The interactive windowing interface for the ACCESS procedure is not supported; you can no longer create and edit access descriptors and view descriptors by using the Access Descriptor and View Descriptor definition windows. The interactive windowing interface for the DBLOAD procedure is also no longer supported.

Note: It is recommended that you use the new SAS/ACCESS LIBNAME statement or the SQL Procedure Pass-Through Facility to access your DBMS data more directly and to take full advantage of Version 7 and later enhancements. See SAS/ACCESS LIBNAME Statement for more information about the new LIBNAME statement. [cautionend]

Overview of SAS/ACCESS Procedures

Version 6 of SAS/ACCESS software provided an interface between SAS software and database management systems (DBMSs) that is still available and supported in Version 7. Each interface has one or more of the following features, which perform these tasks:

ACCESS procedure
- creates and updates SAS/ACCESS descriptor files that describe data in a DBMS table to SAS software
- creates a SAS data file from DBMS data.

DBLOAD procedure
- creates a new DBMS table and loads it with SAS data or data that is accessed by a view descriptor, PROC SQL view, or DATA step view
- updates an existing DBMS table with SAS data or data that is accessed by a view descriptor, PROC SQL view, or DATA step view
- submits non-query SQL statements to the DBMS.

interface view engine
- enables you to use descriptor files to read DBMS data directly into SAS programs
- enables you to specify descriptor files in SAS programs to update, insert, or delete DBMS data

Note: See your DBMS chapter to determine which features are supported for your DBMS. [cautionend]

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