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Using the V5 Engine

The V5 engine only provides read/input access to V5 files. You cannot create or update files.

When to Use the V5 Engine

You use the V5 engine to access SAS data sets that were created by Version 5 SAS software and that are not yet converted for use by a Version 6 or Version 7 engine.

How to Select the V5 Engine

There are three ways to select the V5 engine:

• Specify V5 as the value of the engine argument in the LIBNAME statement or LIBNAME function, or specify V5 in the Engine: field of the New Library dialog box. You can open the New Library dialog box by issuing the LIBASSIGN command in the command window.

• For an existing SAS data library containing only Version 5 format SAS data sets, do not specify a value for engine in the LIBNAME statement or LIBNAME function, or select Default as the type in the Engine: field of the New Library dialog box. The SAS System then selects the V5 engine automatically.

• For new data libraries, set the value of the SYSTEM= system option to V5. This option sets the default engine to V5 when no engine is specified and the library is empty or the directory is in mixed mode.

Member Types Supported

The V5 engine supports files with the following member types:

CAT, GCAT, IMLWK, MODEL

The V5 engine supports directory-level processing for these types of files (that is, the RENAME and DELETE functions in the DATASETS procedure and the DIR window). You must convert these files to Version 6 format before you can use them in Version 6 applications. Version 5 files of these types cannot be accessed in Version 7.

DATA

The V5 engine fully supports SAS files of member type DATA.

Data Set Options Supported by the V5 Engine

The V5 engine supports all the data set options documented in SAS Language Reference: Dictionary except the COMPRESS=, REUSE=, and CNTLLEV= options. It also supports the engine-specific BUFSIZE= data set option. For details about the BUFSIZE= data set option, see BUFSIZE=.

System Options Supported by the V5 Engine

The V5 engine uses the BUFSIZE= system option, which is not a permanent attribute for Version 5 SAS data sets. The TAPECLOSE= system option is used for Version 5 sequential-format SAS data libraries. For more information about these system options, see BUFSIZE= and TAPECLOSE=.

System Utilities Used with the V5 Engine

You can copy Version 5 SAS data libraries using the COPY procedure running under Version 5. As long as the data library contains only SAS data sets, you can copy it using the COPY or DATASETS procedure running under Version 6.

The COPY or DATASETS procedure under Version 6 writes only SAS data files to a Version 5 data library. If your input library is a Version 6 data library containing a catalog, view, or access file, you receive a warning message indicating the file cannot be moved. However, the selected SAS data files are moved. If your input library is a Version 5 data library containing a member of type CAT, GCAT, IMLWK, or MODEL, you get a warning that the member cannot be moved, but all SAS data sets selected are moved.

Accessing Version 5 Sequential-Format Files on Disk

If you want to access Version 5 sequential-format files on disk, you must use the special libref TAPExxx as you did in Version 5. You must use the V5 engine name in the LIBNAME statement when you assign this libref.

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