topic Re: Untranspose macro error in SAS Programming

Untranspose macro error

asouth_neph — Fri, 02 Aug 2019 19:28:18 GMT

Hello, I am trying to use Dr. Tabachneck's untranspose macro but when setting it up, I continue to come across the following error message multiple times:

NOTE 49-169: The meaning of an identifier after a quoted string might change in a future SAS release. Inserting white space
between a quoted string and the succeeding identifier is recommended.

I entered white space between each quoted string and succeeding identifier but it still occurs. Has anyone come across this issue with this macro and if so, any advice to rectify it? I am running Enterprise Guide if that may make a difference.

Thank you.

Re: Untranspose macro error

Reeza — Fri, 02 Aug 2019 20:07:13 GMT

It's not usually one you need to worry about. The log usually does a good job of indicating where the error is. Try running it with the macro debug options turned on and post error and the few lines in the log before and after.

options mprint symbolgen mlogic;

MLOGIC can make the log cumbersome so only use it if needed.

Re: Untranspose macro error

ballardw — Fri, 02 Aug 2019 20:11:46 GMT

The NOTE, not an error, would likely require seeing the exact code. SAS has several special value types such as date, time, datetime and name literals that all use a quoted string followed by a special character. Example: '01JAN2019'd is treated as a date value. "12:15:20"t is a time value, "external database var"n indicates a name literal to allow referencing fields in external databases that allow characters ,such as spaces, that SAS does not allow in variable names.

Without code and or data it is hard to guess what might actually be creating such a string.

You could try setting: options mprint; and then rerun the macro code. The option will display all of the generated text in the log. The note should appear closer to the generated text and should allow determining the exact statement causing the note. Whether it could be adjusted to prevent the note depends on the actual code.

Remember to set options noprint; afterward to turn of the generated text after you have it corrected.

Re: Untranspose macro error

Ksharp — Sat, 03 Aug 2019 11:36:08 GMT

Calling @art297

Re: Untranspose macro error

art297 — Sat, 03 Aug 2019 13:00:33 GMT

@Ksharp : I responded directly to the OP, yesterday, after receiving the same question via email. My response, though, didn't add anything beyond what was mentioned already in this thread.

Here was my response:

You'll have to tell me more regarding what brought on the note. You said it came up in "setting up the macro." Send me a copy of the macro you tried to "setup" and precisely what "setting up" entailed.

Yes, I'm well familiar with the warning message, but don't think that anything in the macro would cause it to occur.

Art, CEO, AnalystFinder.com

Re: Untranspose macro error

art297 — Sun, 04 Aug 2019 17:29:25 GMT

@asouth_neph : You haven't provided any additional details, as yet, but I did think of something that might be at the root of your problem.

Prior to trying to compile the macro, you may have run something that had a left over unbalanced quote. You would have received a warning but, if you didn't restart SAS, that quote would remain unbalanced with anything you ran. That warning often precedes the note you mentioned.

Restart SAS and try again with the original macro and let us know if the problem persists.

Art, CEO, AnalystFinder.com