topic Re: Concatenate a symbol to a text string to create a macro variable in SAS Programming

Concatenate a symbol to a text string to create a macro variable

SASSLICK001 — Tue, 21 Aug 2018 01:47:10 GMT

Hi All

I am trying to create a macro variable with value formed by concatenate symbol ("+" ) to a text string.

for example i need to create the following, attaching "+" based on iterations (4 times) and store it in a macro variable.

"test++++"

Thanks for all the help.

Re: Concatenate a symbol to a text string to create a macro variable

LaurieF — Tue, 21 Aug 2018 02:58:02 GMT

Is what you want as simple as this?

%let macvar = test%sysfunc(repeat(+, 3));
%put &=macvar;

The repeat function takes the first parameter and repeats it n times.

Re: Concatenate a symbol to a text string to create a macro variable

Criptic — Tue, 21 Aug 2018 05:31:09 GMT

Here a coding example if you want to do it inside of a data step:

data _null_;
	length combined $50.;
	base = "Hello";
	combined = cat(base,repeat("+",3));
	call symput("plusString",combined);
run;

%put &plusString;

Re: Concatenate a symbol to a text string to create a macro variable

Jagadishkatam — Tue, 21 Aug 2018 05:41:00 GMT

I like the approach of @Laurie F, Here is an alternate approach

%let macvar = %sysfunc(cats(test,+++));
%put &=macvar;

Re: Concatenate a symbol to a text string to create a macro variable

Ksharp — Tue, 21 Aug 2018 12:43:21 GMT

You mean this ?

%macro x;
%let x=test;
%do i=1 %to 3;
  %let x=&x+;
%end;

%put &x;
%mend;

%x