topic Re: Question regarding sysparm in SAS Programming

Question regarding sysparm

cosmid — Thu, 31 Jan 2019 17:01:49 GMT

options nobomfile; *byte-order mark;

%let progDir=%scan(&sysparm.,1,'|');

%let program=%scan(&sysparm.,4,'|');

%let dataYear=%scan(&sysparm.,5,'|');

Hi, above is the first few lines of a SAS code. I know it's scanning for words by position separated by |, 1st, 4th, and 5th words were assigned to the variables.

I can' understand the definition: SYSPARM enables you to pass a character string from the operating environment to SAS program steps and provides a means of accessing or using the string while a program is executing.

Since the default value for sysparm is null then where does the value for &sysparm come from? Is another program ran before or maybe in parallel with this program and sysparm gets the value from there?

Thanks in advance!

Re: Question regarding sysparm

ballardw — Thu, 31 Jan 2019 18:54:06 GMT

The value would come from the command string that initiates SAS.

For example the destop Icon I use to start SAS has the TARGET property of

"C:\Program Files\SASHome\SASFoundation\9.4\sas.exe" -CONFIG "C:\Program Files\SASHome\SASFoundation\9.4\nls\en\sasv9.cfg"

That is the command string.

If I wanted to add a sysparm option available every time I clicked on that icon would add something like

-sysparm= "list of words"

This could be handy if I wanted to have different Icons on the desktop and pass different values.

Also if a batch program is used to start SAS, possibly from a scheduling program as one example, then you could add the -sysparm option to the command line. Your batch program generator might pass different options. In the scheduler example I might want something different passed at "morning" program than for an "evening" program start.

Re: Question regarding sysparm

cosmid — Thu, 31 Jan 2019 20:20:33 GMT

Yes! A batch from a scheduling program. Thank you! I have now find where the -sysparm and the values for it in other two files. I'm still not sure how the sysparm works but hopefully with more experience and learning I might be able to write code using it one day.

Thanks again!

Re: Question regarding sysparm

ballardw — Thu, 31 Jan 2019 21:14:30 GMT

The SYSPARM is on of those options that is very operationally dependent. I have used SAS off and on for over 30 years and never needed it. I did test it once but my organizations have never had a need for such. -SYSIN has been another matter though.