topic Re: Extracting a macro code from Catalog File in SAS Programming

Extracting a macro code from Catalog File

hemasai98 — Thu, 26 Mar 2020 02:20:05 GMT

We are migrating SAS code from windows to Unix operating system. One of the program is utilizing a catalog file which consists of 4 macros. Macros are not working due to change in operating system. Unfortunately, we are not able to find the source code for this catalog file.

Is there any way we can read the source code of this catalog file macros or is there any way to create or convert them in order to make it work on unix operating system.

Re: Extracting a macro code from Catalog File

Tom — Thu, 26 Mar 2020 02:37:22 GMT

Try the %COPY statement. https://documentation.sas.com/?docsetId=mcrolref&docsetTarget=p0oltlodtnemugn109vxxa76sref.htm&docsetVersion=9.4&locale=en

Note that this requires that the macro was compiled using the / source option on the %MACRO statement.

Why do you have macros stored in catalog instead of as text in program files?

Re: Extracting a macro code from Catalog File

SASKiwi — Thu, 26 Mar 2020 02:48:05 GMT

@hemasai98 - As far as I'm aware a MACRO catalog is a compiled macro and you can't extract the source code. Even if you could you would need to do it under Windows in your source SAS version, not your migrated one.

Correction: @Tom 's suggestion might work but it must be run on your Windows SAS.

Re: Extracting a macro code from Catalog File

ChrisNZ — Thu, 26 Mar 2020 08:53:22 GMT

Do not use a PDF to add a photo.

There is a camera icon just for that usage.

Re: Extracting a macro code from Catalog File

Kurt_Bremser — Thu, 26 Mar 2020 09:30:16 GMT

See Maxim 26, but you already know what it says, out of dire experience.

You can only extract the code with the original SAS version on Windows if the macros were stored with the source option. If not, your best bet is to re-engineer them.

And NEVER AGAIN store macros in catalogs. Basically, avoid all use of catalogs except for temporary means.