topic Re: Invoking a macro to name a table in SAS Programming

Invoking a macro to name a table

Mogreenly — Wed, 29 Aug 2018 23:00:16 GMT

Hi,

I have a very basic question about macros. I am trying to write a simple macro to merge two datasets. My code looks like this

%macro form_merge (form);

proc sql;

create table _%form as

select a.%form,a.var1

from work.data1 as A left join work.data2 as B

run;

%mend form_merge;

%form_merge (X);

However, it is not working. For the 'create table' line, I get the warning "Apparent invocation of macro FORM not resolved", and the error "22-322: Syntax error, expecting one of the following (, '-'..."

When I run this as just regular code (i.e., substituting X for %form), it works fine. Can someone please tell me what I'm doing wrong?

Re: Invoking a macro to name a table

novinosrin — Wed, 29 Aug 2018 23:04:04 GMT

should be create table _&form

and not create table _%form

And the same in

select a.&form.,a.var1

and not select a.%form,a.var1

Re: Invoking a macro to name a table

Mogreenly — Wed, 29 Aug 2018 23:04:51 GMT

Oh dear, that's embarrassing. Thanks! (this is the first macro I've ever written)

Re: Invoking a macro to name a table

Reeza — Wed, 29 Aug 2018 23:46:50 GMT

@Mogreenly I wrote this last week and would appreciate any feedback if you have some time.

It's a short tutorial on making a macro, based on the concept of working code though.

https://github.com/statgeek/SAS-Tutorials/blob/master/Turning%20a%20program%20into%20a%20macro.md

If it doesn't make sense at all that's worth knowing as well!