Long Variable Names

In some instances, data files with variable names longer than eight bytes require special consideration:

• If you save a data file in portable format (see EXPORT ), variable names that exceed eight bytes are converted to unique eight-character names. For example, mylongrootname1, mylongrootname2, and mylongrootname3 would be converted to mylongro, mylong_2, and mylong_3, respectively.
• When using data files with variable names longer than eight bytes in version 10.x or 11.x, unique, eight-byte versions of variable names are used; however, the original variable names are preserved for use in release 12.0 or later. In releases prior to 10.0, the original long variable names are lost if you save the data file.
• Matrix data files (commonly created with the MATRIX OUT subcommand, available in some procedures) in which the VARNAME_ variable is longer than an eight-byte string cannot be read by releases prior to 12.0.