topic Re: create sas macro var in SAS Programming

create sas macro var

Ronein — Mon, 30 Dec 2019 05:35:15 GMT

Hello
I want to create a sas macro varaible xx and I get an error.
/*ERROR: Function name missing in %SYSFUNC or %QSYSFUNC macro function reference.*/
/*ERROR: %EVAL function has no expression to evaluate, or %IF statement has no condition.*/

When I create macro var YY I don't get error.
What is the problem with xx?

%let fromdate=21775;/*This is sas value for date 14AUG2019*/

%let xx = %eval(%sysfunc(&fromdate.)-1);

%let yy = %eval(%sysfunc(today())-1);
/

Re: create sas macro var

Patrick — Mon, 30 Dec 2019 05:50:18 GMT

Like the error message tells you you're using %sysfunc() without using a function.

Code like below should do:

%let xx = %eval(&fromdate.-1);

Re: create sas macro var

ed_sas_member — Mon, 30 Dec 2019 09:27:08 GMT

Hi @Ronein

The %SYSFUNC() function enables to use SAS functions with macro variables.

In your example, the %SYSFUNC() function enables to use the TODAY() function. Look at the difference:

But in your example with xx, the %SYSFUNC() function is not associated with any SAS function. So that makes no sense.

The syntax should be just:

%let xx = %eval(&fromdate.-1);

Hope this help.

Re: create sas macro var

Kurt_Bremser — Mon, 30 Dec 2019 09:38:30 GMT

Maxim 1: Read the Documentation.

In this case, of the %SYSFUNC macro function. You will see that the first argument to %sysfunc has to be a function. Since &fromdate resolves to a literal and not a function name, your %sysfunc call fails.