Using DDE to Read and Write to Excel Workbooks - Exchanging Data Between SAS and Microsoft Excel - page 170

Format 1 - FILENAME fileref DDE 'DDE-triplet' <DDE-options>;
RECFM=

This option identifies the record
format of the data. One of the
following options can be specified
on Windows.

V or D - This is the default and
indicates a variable length record.

F - This is for fixed length
records.

N - This is for binary input data.
The data is read as a byte stream,
and, without specifying LRECL, the
data will be read in groups of 256
bytes.

P - This indicates a print format.

Figure 11.2: DDE Filename Options for Issuing Commands to Excel.

Format 2 - FILENAME fileref DDE "excel|system";
fileref This is the standard 8-character pointer used to identify any file that is not

a SAS file.

DDE Is the engine name for the fileref to use for the output commands.

'excel|system'

The Application Name is
separated by “|” from the topic
value.

“excel” is the name of the server
type.

The Item value is the last part of
the command.

“ system ” - A special topic
name. The use of this syntax
“excel|system” allows SAS to act
as a client application and use
SAS INPUT and PUT
commands to issue commands to
Excel, the server application
pointed to by the SAS
FILENAME statement.