topic Creating a Macro Program in New SAS User

Creating a Macro Program

sulafa — Thu, 10 Dec 2020 15:13:59 GMT

%macro HistAndStats (DSNM= , VBL= Stats=N MEAN STDDEV , NDEC =1);
TITLE "Histogram for '&VBL' from Data set '...' " ;
PROC SGPLOT DATA= &DSNM;
HISTOGRAM &VBL;

RUN;

TITLE "Summary Statistics for '&VBL'from Data Set '&DSNM' ";
PROC MEANS DATA= &.. &...
VAR &VBL;
RUN;
%MEND HistAndStats;

Hello SAS Communities,

I am working on a code but have some errors, below what I need to do:-

a macro program named ‘HistAndStats’ which may be used to summarize a numeric variable from any data set.

The macro should contain the following 4 parameters:

‘DSNm’ to specify the data set name
‘Vbl’ to specify the numeric variable
‘Stats’ to specify summary statistics. Include default statistics of N, MEAN, and STDDEV.
‘NDec’ to specify the number of decimals. Include a default value of 1.

My Code looks like this

%macro HistAndStats (DSNM= , VBL= Stats=N MEAN STDDEV , NDEC =1);
TITLE "Histogram for '&VBL' from Data set '&DSNM' " ;
PROC SGPLOT DATA= ...;
HISTOGRAM &VBL;

RUN;

TITLE "Summary Statistics for '&VBL'from Data Set '&DSNM' ";
PROC MEANS DATA= ... &...
VAR &VBL;
RUN;
%MEND HistAndStats;

And I have attached the error on my LOG

Thank you so much!

Re: Creating a Macro Program

Kurt_Bremser — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 16:36:13 GMT

Please post the log by copy/pasting it into a window opened with the </> button. Use the "little running man" right next to it for posting code.

Re: Creating a Macro Program

Kurt_Bremser — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 16:39:47 GMT

The message in your picture indicates a problem with unbalanced quotes earlier in your session. Restart your session, and submit ONLY your macro code, then post the log as requested.

Re: Creating a Macro Program

ballardw — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 16:55:29 GMT

Please show the code that worked without any macro elements.

If you don't have such, that is the first step in developing macro programming.

Many users here don't want to download Microsoft Office files because of virus potential, others have such things blocked by security software.

It is much better to copy text from the Log and paste into a code box opened on the forum using the </> icon.

Re: Creating a Macro Program

Reeza — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 16:57:18 GMT

Forgot a comma on macro statement
Missed the NDEC parameter
Forgot a semicolon on your PROC MEANS statement

Here are some good macro references for you:

UCLA introductory tutorial on macro variables and macros

https://stats.idre.ucla.edu/sas/seminars/sas-macros-introduction/

Tutorial on converting a working program to a macro

This method is pretty robust and helps prevent errors and makes it much easier to debug your code. Obviously biased, because I wrote it 🙂 https://github.com/statgeek/SAS-Tutorials/blob/master/Turning%20a%20program%20into%20a%20macro.md

Examples of common macro usage
https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Communities-Library/SAS-9-4-Macro-Language-Reference-Has-a-New-Appendix/ta-p/291716

And your code that should work (untested)

%macro HistAndStats (DSNM= , 
                                     VBL= ,
                                     Stats=N MEAN STDDEV , 
                                      NDEC =1);


TITLE "Histogram for &VBL. from Data set &DSNM " ;

PROC SGPLOT DATA= &DSNM;
HISTOGRAM &VBL;
RUN;

TITLE "Summary Statistics for &VBL from Data Set &DSNM";

PROC MEANS DATA= &DSNM &STATS MaxDec = &NDEC;
VAR &VBL;
RUN;

%MEND HistAndStats;

@sulafa wrote:

Hello SAS Communities,

I am working on a code but have some errors, below what I need to do:-

a macro program named ‘HistAndStats’ which may be used to summarize a numeric variable from any data set.

The macro should contain the following 4 parameters:

‘DSNm’ to specify the data set name

‘Vbl’ to specify the numeric variable

‘Stats’ to specify summary statistics. Include default statistics of N, MEAN, and STDDEV.

‘NDec’ to specify the number of decimals. Include a default value of 1.

My Code looks like this

%macro HistAndStats (DSNM= , VBL= Stats=N MEAN STDDEV , NDEC =1);
TITLE "Histogram for '&VBL' from Data set '&DSNM' " ;
PROC SGPLOT DATA= &DSNM;
HISTOGRAM &VBL;

RUN;

TITLE "Summary Statistics for '&VBL'from Data Set '&DSNM' ";
PROC MEANS DATA= &DSNM &STATS
VAR &VBL;
RUN;
%MEND HistAndStats;

And I have attached the error on my LOG

Thank you so much!

Re: Creating a Macro Program

sulafa — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:19:22 GMT

Sorry, I am going to do that, thank you!

Re: Creating a Macro Program

muawia27 — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 20:13:22 GMT

I just tested this one and it works it works .
Let us know if it works %macro HistAndStats (DSNM= ,
VBL= ,
Stats=N MEAN STDDEV ,
NDEC =1);

TITLE "Histogram for '&VBL'. from Data set '&DSNM ' " ;

PROC SGPLOT DATA= &DSNM;
HISTOGRAM &VBL;
RUN;

TITLE "Summary Statistics for '&VBL' from Data Set '&DSNM' ";

PROC MEANS DATA= &DSNM &STATS
MaxDec = &NDEC;
VAR &VBL;
RUN;

%MEND HistAndStats;

Re: Creating a Macro Program

Reeza — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 20:25:27 GMT

Glad to hear it works. Please mark the question as solved.

Re: Creating a Macro Program

sulafa — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 20:26:04 GMT

Done, thank you!

Re: Creating a Macro Program

sulafa — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 20:28:02 GMT

Thank you so much!

Re: Creating a Macro Program

sulafa — Thu, 10 Dec 2020 00:02:50 GMT

Thank you so much Reeza, I am sorry I missed your comment, that solves the problem !