topic Re: SAS macro error with date in SAS Programming

SAS macro error with date

pradark1 — Fri, 12 Jan 2018 19:05:53 GMT

I am trying to create last date of the month using sas macro. I set year-month yyyymm and would like to get last date of the month. For example if the year is 2015 and month is January, then I would like the SAS date macro variable to be the sas date number equivalent of ‘31Jan2015’d

%LET YYYYMM = 201501;
%LET SASDATE = %EVAL(%SYSFUNC(INTNX('MONTH',%SYSFUNC(MDY(%SYSFUNC(MOD(&YYYYMM,100)),1,%SYSFUNC(ROUND(%EVAL(&YYYYMM/100))))),1))-1);
%PUT &SASDATE;

But I am getting the following error in the log. Can you please help? Thank you.

23         GOPTIONS ACCESSIBLE;
24         %LET YYYYMM = 201501;
25         %LET SASDATE =
25       ! %EVAL(%SYSFUNC(INTNX('MONTH',%SYSFUNC(MDY(%SYSFUNC(MOD(&YYYYMM,100)),1,%SYSFUNC(ROUND(%EVAL(&YYYYMM/100))))),1))-1);
WARNING: Argument 1 to function INTNX referenced by the %SYSFUNC or %QSYSFUNC macro function is out of range.
NOTE: Mathematical operations could not be performed during %SYSFUNC function execution. The result of the operations have been set
      to a missing value.
ERROR: A character operand was found in the %EVAL function or %IF condition where a numeric operand is required. The condition was:
       .-1
26         %PUT &SASDATE;

Re: SAS macro error with date

PaigeMiller — Fri, 12 Jan 2018 19:12:11 GMT

Ah yes, doing it this way requires multiple %sysfunc nested within each other, it's a nightmare.

Instead do it in a data step, no more %sysfunc needed, makes your life a whole lot easier, or at least easier to debug.

For example:

data _null_;
    date_desired = .... your code here .... ;
    call symputx( 'sasdate',date_desired);
run;

Re: SAS macro error with date

novinosrin — Fri, 12 Jan 2018 19:16:52 GMT

I can't agree more with @PaigeMiller My eyes and head hurt to review the syntax

Re: SAS macro error with date

novinosrin — Fri, 12 Jan 2018 19:26:23 GMT

OK, removing the quotes around 'MONTH' solves your problem

%LET YYYYMM = 201501;
%LET SASDATE = %EVAL(%SYSFUNC(INTNX(MONTH,%SYSFUNC(MDY(%SYSFUNC(MOD(&YYYYMM,100)),1,%SYSFUNC(ROUND(%EVAL(&YYYYMM/100))))),1))-1);
%PUT &SASDATE;

Please note: You do not require quotes or in other words literal tokens for the macro processor to do text processing

Re: SAS macro error with date

pradark1 — Fri, 12 Jan 2018 19:29:44 GMT

Thanks, I agree. It is cleaner to code in a data step.

Re: SAS macro error with date

pradark1 — Fri, 12 Jan 2018 19:30:33 GMT

Thanks for that solution. I could not have guessed it. It work with quotes outside of macro environment.

Re: SAS macro error with date

novinosrin — Fri, 12 Jan 2018 19:39:47 GMT

@pradark1 No problem, I will have to eat lots of carrots and vitamin A supplements for my eyes to stay alert for such nested syntax. lol

Just be aware, when you are dealing with macro processor, be alert with use of literal tokens 'blahblahblah' or "blahblahblah" . Until your program is executed by macro processor before the resolved text moves to the compiler for datastep execution, we play only with text and temporary conversion of text to numbers.

Knowledge of tokenisation is most important to make the distinction what happens in the input stack. In my opinion, nobody has mastered this concept to the extent of Ian Whitlock the genius. I am fortunate to even read his paper. Have a good day!