topic Re: Error resolving macro variables in SAS Programming

Error resolving macro variables

David_Billa — Fri, 03 Jan 2020 13:15:25 GMT

Could you please help resolve the error below?

27         %let lc_entity_currency=5801_EU 2713_EU 6001_PL;
28         data _null_;
29         b=&lc_entity_currency.;
SYMBOLGEN:  Macro variable LC_ENTITY_CURRENCY resolves to 5801_EU 2713_EU 6001_PL
NOTE: Line generated by the macro variable "LC_ENTITY_CURRENCY".
29         5801_EU 2713_EU 6001_PL
               ___
               388
               76
ERROR 388-185: Expecting an arithmetic operator.

ERROR 76-322: Syntax error, statement will be ignored.

30         run;

Re: Error resolving macro variables

ed_sas_member — Fri, 03 Jan 2020 13:19:01 GMT

Hi @David_Billa

Since the macro variable contains letters, you should add quotes (it cannot be considered a numeric)

b="&lc_entity_currency.";

Re: Error resolving macro variables

PaigeMiller — Fri, 03 Jan 2020 13:30:32 GMT

When you execute code that has a macro variable in it, the macro variable is replaced by its value, and this must result in legal valid working SAS code.

So in your case,

b=&lc_entity_currency.;

when executed, becomes

b=5801_EU 2713_EU 6001_PL;

Can you spot the error now?

Re: Error resolving macro variables

ghosh — Fri, 03 Jan 2020 19:19:46 GMT

 %let lc_entity_currency=%str(5801_EU 2713_EU 6001_PL);
data _null_;
b=symget('lc_entity_currency');
put 'b=' b;
run;
 %let lc_entity_currency="5801_EU 2713_EU 6001_PL";
data _null_;
c=resolve(&lc_entity_currency);
put 'c=' c;

run;