SAS 9.4 Language Reference, 6th Edition

Definition of Reading Raw Data

raw data

is unprocessed data that has not been read into a SAS data set. You can use a DATA

step to read raw data into a SAS data set from two sources:

• instream data

• an external file

Note: Raw data does not include Database Management System (DBMS) files. You

must license SAS/ACCESS software to access data stored in DBMS files. For more

information about SAS/ACCESS features, see Chapter 33, “About SAS/ACCESS

Software,” on page 709.

Ways to Read Raw Data

You can read raw data by using one of the following items:

• SAS statements

• SAS functions

• External File Interface (EFI)

• Import Wizard

When you read raw data with a DATA step, you can use a combination of the INPUT,

DATALINES, and INFILE statements. SAS automatically reads your data when you use

these statements. For more information about these statements, see “Reading Raw Data

with the INPUT Statement” on page 445.

You can also use SAS functions to manipulate external files and to read records of raw

data. These functions provide more flexibility in handling raw data. For a description of

available functions, see the SAS File I/O and External File categories in “SAS Functions

and CALL Routines by Category” in SAS Functions and CALL Routines: Reference. For

more information about how statements and functions manipulate files differently, see

“Using Functions to Manipulate Files” in SAS Functions and CALL Routines: Reference.

If your operating environment supports a graphical user interface, you can use the EFI or

the Import Wizard to read raw data. The EFI is a point-and-click graphical interface that

you can use to read and write data that is not in SAS software's internal format. By using

EFI, you can read data from an external file and write it to a SAS data set. You can also

read data from a SAS data set and write it to an external file. See SAS/ACCESS Interface

to PC Files: Reference for more information about EFI.

Note: If the data file that you are passing to EFI is password protected, you are

prompted multiple times for your login ID and password.

The Import Wizard guides you through the steps to read data from an external data

source and write it to a SAS data set. As a wizard, it is a series of windows that present

simple choices to guide you through a process. See SAS/ACCESS Interface to PC Files:

Reference for more information about the wizard.

Operating Environment Information

440 Chapter 21 • Reading Raw Data