Statistical Analysis System (SAS) Programming Certification Practice Exam

Which type of delimited file does PROC IMPORT read by default?

1. logical record-length files

2. varying record-length files

3. fixed record-length files

4. illogical record-length files

The correct answer is: varying record-length files

PROC IMPORT in SAS is designed to read delimited files where the length of each record can vary. This characteristic is particularly useful when dealing with data in formats such as CSV (Comma-Separated Values) or TSV (Tab-Separated Values), where records may not conform to a fixed length because the number of fields can change from one record to another depending on the data being imported. When PROC IMPORT encounters a varying record-length file, it dynamically adjusts to capture the elements in each row, making it an effective tool for reading diverse datasets with potentially inconsistent field counts. This ability to handle different lengths ensures that important data is not lost due to a rigid structure, allowing for more flexible data manipulation and analysis. Files with logical, fixed, or illogical record lengths do not align with the default capabilities of PROC IMPORT, as they impose specific constraints that can limit the function's adaptability to varied data attributes. Thus, the correct answer reflects the nature of the delimited files that PROC IMPORT is primarily designed to work with.