topic Re: SYMGET in SAS Programming

SYMGET

Josh — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 10:59:54 GMT

Ok SYMPUT I use all the time and in preference to SELECT INTO : in PROC SQL but SYMGET I just don't get it. In a data step what does x=symget('macrovar') achieve that x="&macrovar" does not?

Re: SYMGET

WillDobson — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 11:14:56 GMT

Hi Josh,

You can use a datastep variable to determine which macro variable is retreived using symget:
[pre]
data this;
do x = 1 to 3; output;
call symput(put(x,words5.),x);
end;
run;

data that;
set this;
y = symget(put(x,words5.));
run;
[/pre]
The other main feature I use it for is that it can retreive a macro variable which has been set by call symput from within the same step:
[pre]
%symdel me;
data also;
call symput("me","mememe");
put 'Value of &me: ' "&me."; *Not found;
tst = symget("me");
put 'Value of &me: ' tst; *Found;
run;
[/pre]
Regards,
-- Will Message was edited by: WillDobson

Re: SYMGET

data_null__ — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 12:41:02 GMT

Short answer: Symget is executable.

Plus check out symgetN to create a numeric value from a macro variable value.

Re: SYMGET

chang_y_chung_hotmail_com — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 16:20:17 GMT

Interesting that you mentioned the symget function. I remember vividly this sas-l thread about the certification exam but also about the not-well-known-back-then (and now either, it seems) symget function. 🙂