[R] Reading sas7bdat files directly

[David Winsemius]

On Feb 4, 2010, at 5:31 PM, Alex Bryant wrote:

> Hi,   I have a need to process (in real-time) a large number  
> of .sas7bdat files from within R.  The problem is I don't want to  
> convert these files to .xpt (transport) every time.  So just  
> checking if anyone has a (viable) way to read .sas7bdat files  
> directly into R?

I believe (on the basis of what is written on the NCHS/NHANESwebsite)  
that if you are a Windows user, which I am only under duress, you can  
get at such data with a free product that SAS makes available:

http://www.sas.com/apps/demosdownloads/sassysview_PROD_8.2_sysdep.jsp?packageID=000176

Whether that product can be called as a system()  executable with  
arguments, I have no idea.

-- 
David Winsemius, MD
Heritage Laboratories
West Hartford, CT