topic Re: create a parameter with commas instead of spaces in SAS Programming

create a parameter with commas instead of spaces

Ronein — Tue, 31 Jul 2018 07:05:59 GMT

Hello

Let's say that a user defined a parameter

%let x=1801 1802 1803 1804 1805 1806;

The task is to create another parameter called new2 that get value:

1801,1802,1803,1804,1805,1806

(As you can see instead of space there should be a comma)

Re: create a parameter with commas instead of spaces

Kurt_Bremser — Tue, 31 Jul 2018 07:33:20 GMT

Use the translate() function:

%let x=1801 1802 1803 1804 1805 1806;
data _null_;
x1 = translate("&x",","," ");
call symputx('x1',x1);
run;
%put x1=&x1;

Re: create a parameter with commas instead of spaces

RW9 — Tue, 31 Jul 2018 07:59:18 GMT

Why? In() accepts both a comma and space delimited list. And you would want to write whole blocks of macro code to loop over a list as that would be messy and time consuming. Far easier to use by grouping if needed. If commas really are necessary, then just ask the user to add commas?

Re: create a parameter with commas instead of spaces

Patrick — Tue, 31 Jul 2018 08:19:30 GMT

@Ronein

One way to go:

%let x=1801 1802  1803   1804 1805 1806;
%let new2=%sysfunc(prxchange(s/\b\s+\b/%nrbquote(,)/oi,-1,%nrbquote(&x)));
%put &=new2;

Re: create a parameter with commas instead of spaces

Kurt_Bremser — Tue, 31 Jul 2018 08:52:00 GMT

Note that comma-separated lists turn into a major PITA if you have to use them as macro parameters.