SAS Companion for the CMS Environment

SAS Library Engines

The SAS System provides different engines that enable you to access and, in most cases, to update files of different types and different formats. See SAS Language Reference: Dictionary for a complete discussion of the types of engines that SAS provides on all host operating environments.

When you use the LIBNAME statement to assign a libref to a SAS data library, you use the engine parameter to specify the appropriate engine for each SAS data library that you want to access. (See LIBNAME Statement Syntax.) If you don't specify an engine, then SAS determines which engine to use by following the procedures described in How SAS Assigns an Engine When No Engine Is Specified .

If you use the CMS FILEDEF command to assign a libref to a SAS data library, then SAS assigns an engine to the library. You can override the default by subsequently using the LIBNAME statement to associate a different engine with the library.

SAS Library Engines for CMS lists the library engines that have CMS-specific aspects and tells you where to look for more information about them.

SAS Library Engines for CMS
Engine Description

V8 accesses SAS files in Version 8 disk format. You can also use the alias BASE to specify this engine.

V8TAPE accesses SAS files in Version 8 sequential format on tape or disk. The sequential file format is common among IBM host environments, and sequential libraries can be shared among the CMS and OS/390 operating environments. You can also use the alias TAPE to specify this engine.

V7 accesses SAS files in Version 7 disk format.

V7TAPE accesses SAS files in Version 7 sequential format on tape or disk.

V6 accesses SAS files in Version 6 disk format. You can also use the aliases V612, V611, V610, V609, V608, and V607 to specify this engine.

V6TAPE accesses SAS files in Version 6 sequential format, including sequential format on tape and sequential format on disk. The sequential file format is common among IBM host environments, and sequential libraries can be shared among the CMS, OS/390, and VSE operating environments. You can also use the alias V6SEQ to specify this engine.

V5 accesses in READ-only mode SAS files that were created under Version 5 releases of SAS. You can also use the alias V5TAPE to specify this engine.

BMDP provides READ-only access to BMDP files.

OSIRIS provides READ-only access to OSIRIS files.

SPSS provides READ-only access to SPSS and SPSS-X files. SPSSX is an alias for SPSS.

REMOTE is used by SAS/CONNECT and SAS/SHARE software to access remote files.

XPORT transports SAS files from one operating environment to another.

***SAS Library Engines for CMS***
Engine	Description
V8	accesses SAS files in Version 8 disk format. You can also use the alias BASE to specify this engine.
V8TAPE	accesses SAS files in Version 8 sequential format on tape or disk. The sequential file format is common among IBM host environments, and sequential libraries can be shared among the CMS and OS/390 operating environments. You can also use the alias TAPE to specify this engine.
V7	accesses SAS files in Version 7 disk format.
V7TAPE	accesses SAS files in Version 7 sequential format on tape or disk.
V6	accesses SAS files in Version 6 disk format. You can also use the aliases V612, V611, V610, V609, V608, and V607 to specify this engine.
V6TAPE	accesses SAS files in Version 6 sequential format, including sequential format on tape and sequential format on disk. The sequential file format is common among IBM host environments, and sequential libraries can be shared among the CMS, OS/390, and VSE operating environments. You can also use the alias V6SEQ to specify this engine.
V5	accesses in READ-only mode SAS files that were created under Version 5 releases of SAS. You can also use the alias V5TAPE to specify this engine.
BMDP	provides READ-only access to BMDP files.
OSIRIS	provides READ-only access to OSIRIS files.
SPSS	provides READ-only access to SPSS and SPSS-X files. SPSSX is an alias for SPSS.
REMOTE	is used by SAS/CONNECT and SAS/SHARE software to access remote files.
XPORT	transports SAS files from one operating environment to another.

Acessing V606 Libraries through Version 8

If you have libraries that were created with the V606 engine, follow these steps to access those libraries:

Invoke SAS Release 6.07 or later.
Use the COPY procedure to copy the library.
Access the output of the COPY procedure in SAS Version 8.

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