topic Re: Macro statements? in SAS Data Management

Macro statements?

ybz12003 — Fri, 19 May 2017 15:03:08 GMT

Hi, all:

I have a macro statement created by a previous coworker. Could anyone explain what the "call symputx" part and the "if" condition after "call symputx" are for? Thanks.

%macro list(lib,sect);

data &sect.c;

set &sect.a(rename=(name=name_sup));

stabb=scan(name_sup,1,"_");

run;

data _null_;

set &sect.c end=eof;

by name_sup;

j+1;

call symputx("name"||trim(left(put(j,8.))),name_sup,'G');

call symputx("stabb"||trim(left(put(j,8.))),stabb,'G');

if eof then call symputx("count_state",j,'G');

run;

%mend list;

Re: Macro statements?

PaigeMiller — Fri, 19 May 2017 15:07:19 GMT

if eof

tests when you have reached the very last observation of the SAS data set you are processing

call symputx

creates a global macro variable named "count_state" from the value of the data set variable j in that last observation

Re: Macro statements?

ybz12003 — Fri, 19 May 2017 15:42:26 GMT

What is the following for?

call symputx("name"||trim(left(put(j,8.))),name_sup,'G');

Re: Macro statements?

ballardw — Fri, 19 May 2017 15:50:11 GMT

@ybz12003 wrote:

What is the following for?

call symputx("name"||trim(left(put(j,8.))),name_sup,'G');

creating a series macro variables

Name1 , Name2, Name3 etc holding the values for variable Name_sup for each record in the input data set.

Re: Macro statements?

ybz12003 — Fri, 19 May 2017 16:13:10 GMT

What is the 'G' for?

Re: Macro statements?

Tom — Fri, 19 May 2017 16:46:23 GMT

Did you read the documentation?

https://support.sas.com/documentation/cdl/en/mcrolref/69726/HTML/default/viewer.htm#p1s6jkbxekqjx3n1bcpryv7ohkhb.htm

Re: Macro statements?

ybz12003 — Fri, 19 May 2017 17:17:06 GMT

Thanks, I just read through it.

Re: Macro statements?

Tom — Fri, 19 May 2017 17:21:32 GMT

You need to use the 'G' option to have the macro variables created as GLOBAL instead of LOCAL. Otherwise if the macro variables are not already defined then they will be created as LOCAL to the utility macro and thus disappear when the macro finishes running. Making them GLOBAL is one way to make sure the values are available later in your program after the macro has finished.