topic Re: Find function with macro variable and arrays in SAS Programming

Find function with macro variable and arrays

dera — Tue, 23 Oct 2018 16:46:04 GMT

Hi,

I would like to know how to use the find function with arrays.

Here is what I have :

data want; set have;
	y1 = find(var, trim("&yes1"), 'i');
	y2 = find(var, trim("&yes2"), 'i');
	y3 = find(var, trim("&yes3"), 'i');

	n1 = find(var, trim("&no1"), 'i');
	n2 = find(var, trim("&no2"), 'i');
	n3 = find(var, trim("&no3"), 'i');
run;

I would like to optimize my program and do something like this :

data want; set have;
	array y {*} y1-y3;
	do i = 1 to dim(y);
        y(i) = find(var, trim("&yes(i)"), 'i'); 
	end;

	array n {*} n1-n3;
	do i = 1 to dim(n);
        n(i) = find(var, trim("&no(i)"), 'i');
	end;
run;

Can anyone help me with that?

Thank you.

Re: Find function with macro variable and arrays

PaigeMiller — Tue, 23 Oct 2018 16:49:20 GMT

So apparently you have already created macro variables &yes1 &yes2 &yes3 and &no1 &no2 &no3. Then your loops would need this syntax

y(i) = find(var, trim("&&yes&i"), 'i');

Re: Find function with macro variable and arrays

Astounding — Tue, 23 Oct 2018 17:43:18 GMT

What do you mean by "optimize my program" ?

If you have created your macro variables carefully (by removing leading and trailing blanks) you can make the program run faster by removing the TRIM function.

Re: Find function with macro variable and arrays

dera — Tue, 23 Oct 2018 18:25:40 GMT

I mean that if I want to make it easier if I decide to add more macro variable. Paige Miller understood what I am looking for but his code does not work. Do you have idea?

Re: Find function with macro variable and arrays

PaigeMiller — Tue, 23 Oct 2018 18:46:37 GMT

@dera wrote:
I mean that if I want to make it easier if I decide to add more macro variable. Paige Miller understood what I am looking for but his code does not work. Do you have idea?

We can't help you if the only information you give us is "does not work". Please explain. Please show us the SASLOG. Give us information.

Re: Find function with macro variable and arrays

PaigeMiller — Tue, 23 Oct 2018 18:49:06 GMT

%do i = 1 %to 3;
    y(&i) = find(var, trim("&&yes&i"), 'i'); 
%end;

Although I am starting to think that there must be easier ways to do this than mixing arrays and macro variables, but since we don't really know what you are doing, it's hard to advise.

Re: Find function with macro variable and arrays

Astounding — Tue, 23 Oct 2018 20:01:30 GMT

From what you have posted so far, the program would be easier with no macro variables at all. How do they make anything easier?

Re: Find function with macro variable and arrays

andreas_lds — Wed, 24 Oct 2018 06:57:42 GMT

If you insist on using macro-variables, then try:

data want; set have;
	array y {*} y1-y3;
	do i = 1 to dim(y);
          y(i) = find(var, symget(cats('yes', i)), 'i'); 
	end;

	array n {*} n1-n3;
	do i = 1 to dim(n);
          n(i) = find(var, symget(cats('no', i)), 'i');
	end;
run;

Properly created macro-variable don't have trailing blanks.