topic Re: Difference between %LOCAL and %GLOBAL? in SAS Programming

Difference between %LOCAL and %GLOBAL?

sandeep12 — Tue, 12 Feb 2019 12:36:40 GMT

What is the difference between %LOCAL and %GLOBAL?

Re: Difference between %LOCAL and %GLOBAL?

Patrick — Tue, 12 Feb 2019 12:52:36 GMT

Copy/paste the exact words below into a Google search:

sas What is the difference between %LOCAL and %GLOBAL

Re: Difference between %LOCAL and %GLOBAL?

RW9 — Tue, 12 Feb 2019 12:55:22 GMT

Also search for macro variable scope.

Re: Difference between %LOCAL and %GLOBAL?

Kurt_Bremser — Tue, 12 Feb 2019 12:57:34 GMT

Maxim 1: Read the Documentation.

The documentation for macro statements is here.

Re: Difference between %LOCAL and %GLOBAL?

Tom — Tue, 12 Feb 2019 16:14:07 GMT

They both are used to make sure macro variables are defined. The difference is where they are defined. %GLOBAL will define them in the global symbol table. %LOCAL will define them in the symbol table for the currently running macro. Once the current macro finishes running its symbol table disappears.

Re: Difference between %LOCAL and %GLOBAL?

rinugour — Tue, 19 Feb 2019 12:00:08 GMT

% Local is a macro variable defined inside a macro. %Global is a macro variable defined in open code (outside the macro or can use anywhere).

Re: Difference between %LOCAL and %GLOBAL?

RW9 — Tue, 19 Feb 2019 12:09:48 GMT

Incorrect. local or global indicates the scope of the macro variable. You can create global macros within a macro for instance. The default for macro variables created within a macro is local to the macro, however you can explicitly state the macro variable is global, and hence make it available outside. As that doesn't really work with encapsulation, so default is local.

There is clear guidance in the documentation about this:

http://support.sas.com/documentation/cdl/en/mcrolref/62978/HTML/default/viewer.htm#p1b76sxg9dbcyrn1l5age5j5nvgw.htm