topic Re: WARNING: The text expression variable contains a recursive reference to the macro variable DWJN_ in SAS Programming

WARNING: The text expression variable contains a recursive reference to the macro variable DWJN_FILE

MG18 — Wed, 15 Aug 2018 10:07:06 GMT

Hi All,

I have created one SAS job with below mentioned user written code which is failing with error due to it is not assigning correct variable value.

%include '/sascon/Lev1/Applications/SASAntiMoneyLaundering/5.1/BUJO/custom/config/autoexec.sas';

%macro aml_dwjn_monthly;

%local dwjn_file;

%let dwjn_file=/sascon/Lev1/Applications/SASAntiMoneyLaundering/5.1/BUJO/watchlist/CSV_PFA_201808042200_D.csv;

%put &dwjn_file;

%include '/sascon/Lev1/Applications/SASAntiMoneyLaundering/5.1/BUJO/custom/source/aml_load_watch_list_dwjn_monthly.sas';

%aml_load_watch_list_dwjn_monthly (dwjn_file=&dwjn_file);

%mend aml_dwjn_monthly;

%aml_dwjn_monthly;

User Written Line 4,992: WARNING: The text expression &DWJN_FILE contains a recursive reference to the macro variable DWJN_FILE. The macro variable will be assigned the null value.

Line 4,992: ERROR: Invalid physical name. Line 4,992: ERROR: Error in the FILENAME statement.

Can some body help me why this macro variable is assigning to null value but it is giving expected result in %PUT statement.

How i can resolve this error ?

Re: WARNING: The text expression variable contains a recursive reference to the macro variable DWJN_

ChrisNZ — Wed, 15 Aug 2018 10:36:12 GMT

The message means that somewhere, the code generates the equivalent of:

%let DWJN_FILE= ... &DWJN_FILE ... ;

which is a recursive reference.

Re: WARNING: The text expression variable contains a recursive reference to the macro variable DWJN_

MG18 — Wed, 15 Aug 2018 11:09:54 GMT

@ChrisNZ What is the solution for this ?

Re: WARNING: The text expression variable contains a recursive reference to the macro variable DWJN_

ChrisNZ — Wed, 15 Aug 2018 11:20:32 GMT

That's a bug in the code. The code must be fixed.

Re: WARNING: The text expression variable contains a recursive reference to the macro variable DWJN_

ChrisNZ — Wed, 15 Aug 2018 11:24:06 GMT

Try to find the filename statement that seems to cause the issue.

Re: WARNING: The text expression variable contains a recursive reference to the macro variable DWJN_

AhmedAl_Attar — Wed, 15 Aug 2018 12:05:39 GMT

Hi @MG18

You are using the following code lines (Partial extract)

%local dwjn_file;
%let dwjn_file=/sascon/Lev1/Applications/SASAntiMoneyLaundering/5.1/BUJO/watchlist/CSV_PFA_201808042200_D.csv;
%put &dwjn_file;

%include '/sascon/Lev1/Applications/SASAntiMoneyLaundering/5.1/BUJO/custom/source/aml_load_watch_list_dwjn_monthly.sas';
%aml_load_watch_list_dwjn_monthly (dwjn_file=&dwjn_file);

%aml_load_watch_list_dwjn_monthly (dwjn_file=&dwjn_file);  /* This is the offending line! */

I would suggest the following miner change, to clarify your code and avoid the error you are getting now

%include '/sascon/Lev1/Applications/SASAntiMoneyLaundering/5.1/BUJO/custom/config/autoexec.sas';
%macro aml_dwjn_monthly;
   %local l_dwjn_file;   /* Added 'l_' prefix to indicate local scope */
   %let l_dwjn_file=/sascon/Lev1/Applications/SASAntiMoneyLaundering/5.1/BUJO/watchlist/CSV_PFA_201808042200_D.csv;
   %put &l_dwjn_file;

   %include '/sascon/Lev1/Applications/SASAntiMoneyLaundering/5.1/BUJO/custom/source/aml_load_watch_list_dwjn_monthly.sas';
   %aml_load_watch_list_dwjn_monthly (dwjn_file=&l_dwjn_file);
%mend aml_dwjn_monthly;
%aml_dwjn_monthly;

Hope this helps,

Ahmed