[R] read SAS dataset using read.ssd()

[Nordlund, Dan (DSHS/RDA)]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: r-help-bounces at r-project.org [mailto:r-help-bounces at r-
> project.org] On Behalf Of Peter Dalgaard
> Sent: Monday, August 02, 2010 11:30 PM
> To: array chip
> Cc: r-help at r-project.org
> Subject: Re: [R] read SAS dataset using read.ssd()
> 
> array chip wrote:
> > Looks like the log file is not appropriately attached. Here it is
> again. Thanks
> > for any suggestions.
> >
> > John
> 
> Well, SAS isn't finding the file "test" in the SAS library
> ".....\Desktop", presumably because it has the wrong extension.
> 
> The obvious question is whether you can read the .ssd01 file from SAS
> at
> all (I believe there's an Import menu somewhere). If you cannot, then R
> won't be able to help, if you can, there's an obvious workaround in
> saving it back as .sas7bdat.
> 

Peter is right that the file isn't found because of the extension.  SAS datasets with a .ssd01 extension were created on a UNIX system (or maybe a MAC) and are not readable in the usual manner on a Windows system.  Renaming the file is not going to work.  The .ssd01 file needs to be converted to a transport file on the system on which it was originally created.  Then it can be read using read.xport() from the foreign package.

Hope this is helpful,

Dan

Daniel J. Nordlund
Washington State Department of Social and Health Services
Planning, Performance, and Accountability
Research and Data Analysis Division
Olympia, WA 98504-5204