topic Re: Calling Macro Variables in New SAS User

Calling Macro Variables

hspears — Thu, 10 Dec 2020 15:23:56 GMT

Hello,

I do not understand all the ways to correctly call Macro variables. Is there a guide of when you need to put a period after the &Macro and when you do not? I am thinking in both the context of quoted strings like a Title statement or in naming a data set in a data step.

Thank you!

Re: Calling Macro Variables

PaigeMiller — Thu, 10 Dec 2020 15:29:04 GMT

A period is required to end the name of a macro variable, usually when appending text to the value of the macro variable. No period is required if there is a separator (like a space or other character that cannot be in a macro variable name).

So no period is required here

x = &macrovarname+7;

but it's also not wrong to put a period here.

A period is required here

x = &macrovarname.2;

so the 2 is appended to the value of &macrovarname.

Re: Calling Macro Variables

Tom — Thu, 10 Dec 2020 15:28:28 GMT

You only need to period if the next character in your program could be part of the macro variable name. Valid characters for names are letters, digits and underscore.

Re: Calling Macro Variables

Kurt_Bremser — Thu, 10 Dec 2020 15:30:15 GMT

See Maxim 48. It's never wrong to have the dot, but sometimes very wrong to not have it.