topic Re: How to resolve quoted string containing quoted words in a macro in SAS Programming

How to resolve quoted string containing quoted words in a macro

knveraraju91 — Mon, 13 Jul 2020 18:12:07 GMT

Dear,

I am trying create a variable having quoted words. Please suggest. Thank you

In the macro one, the item variable is not created. Please suggest. Thank you

data one;
input want $;
datalines;
aaaaaaa
;
run;


%macro one;
data two;
length item $200.;
set one;
item = %str("Med terms "Neoplasm progression", "Malignant progression" and "Disease progression" drug are excluded.") ;
run;
%mend;

%one;

Re: How to resolve quoted string containing quoted words in a macro

PaigeMiller — Mon, 13 Jul 2020 18:19:10 GMT

In DATA TWO, you have

item = %str("Med terms "Neoplasm progression", "Malignant progression" and "Disease progression" drug are excluded.") ;

But ITEM is a data set variable, not a macro variable. %STR() shgouldn't be used to create data set variables. Just create ITEM using whatever text strings you want using proper DATA step syntax for creating character strings.

In fact, your macros are meaningless in this code, they add no value. Get the code to work without macros and without macro variables.

Re: How to resolve quoted string containing quoted words in a macro

Shmuel — Mon, 13 Jul 2020 18:18:55 GMT

Try either:

item = %str('Med terms "Neoplasm progression", "Malignant progression" and "Disease progression" drug are excluded.') ;
/* replace open&close from double quotes to single quotes */

item = %str("Med terms ""Neoplasm progression"", ""Malignant progression"" and ""Disease progression"" drug are excluded.") ;
/* double each internal double quote ot replace it to single quotes *.

item = %str("Med terms 'Neoplasm progression', 'Malignant progression' and 'Disease progression' drug are excluded.") ;

Re: How to resolve quoted string containing quoted words in a macro

PaigeMiller — Mon, 13 Jul 2020 18:29:55 GMT

What value does using %STR() add?

How about this:

item='Med terms "Neoplasm progression", "Malignant progression" and "Disease progression" drug are excluded.';

Re: How to resolve quoted string containing quoted words in a macro

Tom — Mon, 13 Jul 2020 18:32:59 GMT

I don't see where you are planning to use macro variables.

Your code is attempting to define the variable ITEM in the dataset TWO, but it is using the wrong syntax for specifying a string that includes quotes.

Either use a different character on the outside.

'Med terms "Neoplasm progression", "Malignant progression" and "Disease progression" drug are excluded.'

"Med terms 'Neoplasm progression', 'Malignant progression' and 'Disease progression' drug are excluded."

Or double any embedded quotes.

"Med terms ""Neoplasm progression"", ""Malignant progression"" and ""Disease progression"" drug are excluded."

If you actually had a macro variable.

%let terms=Med terms "Neoplasm progression", "Malignant progression" and "Disease progression" drug are excluded.;

And you wanted to use it to generate your string use the QUOTE() function.

items=%sysfunc(quote(&terms));

If the macro variable has unbalanced quotes then add macro quoting to it. Or add it before passing the value to QUOTE().

items=%sysfunc(quote(%superq(terms)));

Re: How to resolve quoted string containing quoted words in a macro

Kurt_Bremser — Mon, 13 Jul 2020 20:54:57 GMT

You don't need a macro definition, and you don't need the %STR function..

Solve your issue by using single quotes around your string, as already proposed.