topic Re: Put column value into a macro variable that's named from another column in same row in SAS Programming

Put column value into a macro variable that's named from another column in same row

BuildsStuff — Thu, 27 Jun 2019 14:50:35 GMT

Hi, I have a table that contains a list of values and the macro variable name that I want to store that value in.

Simplified to this example:

ValueToStore	Macro_Name
Value A	TestContainerA
Value B	MacroNameBoy
Value C	MacroNameTT

So as a result, I'd like a macro variable named TestContainerA that has the value 'Value A'. MacroNameBoy would have the value 'Value B' and so forth.

I tried several things around this and can't get it working. Any suggestions on another way would be much appreciated:

Proc SQL;

Select macro_name

into :macro_name separated by ' '

From test;

Quit;

Proc SQL;

Select ValueToStore

into :&macro_name separated by ' '

From test;

Quit;

Re: Put column value into a macro variable that's named from another column in same row

Tom — Thu, 27 Jun 2019 14:52:22 GMT

A perfect use case for the CALL SYMPUTX() function.

data _null_;
  set test;
  call symputx(Macro_Name,ValueToStore);
run;

Re: Put column value into a macro variable that's named from another column in same row

PeterClemmensen — Thu, 27 Jun 2019 14:53:23 GMT

Welcome to the SAS Community 🙂

Simply use CALL SYMPUTX in a data step instead of PROC SQL logic

Re: Put column value into a macro variable that's named from another column in same row

BuildsStuff — Thu, 27 Jun 2019 16:11:20 GMT

Holy mackerel. There's a function for everything. Love it! Thanks!