topic Re: Using a macro to enumerate in SAS Programming

Using a macro to enumerate

kpberger — Wed, 30 Sep 2020 18:25:09 GMT

Hello all. I have the following macro:

%macro enum (x,string);
%put &x. &string.;
%mend enum;

%enum(1,%str(horg));
%enum(2,%str(blorg));
%enum(3,%str(chorg));

It returns:

1 horg

2 blorg

3 chorg

However, I need to run this for many lines and I don't want to type each numeral (4, 5, 6, etc). How can I run this without specifying the numeral in each line? Can the macro count how many times it has been run in a SAS session? Or do I need another macro?

Thank you!

Re: Using a macro to enumerate

PaigeMiller — Wed, 30 Sep 2020 18:33:01 GMT

Is this what you want? (If not, describe further)

%macro enum (string);
%do i=1 %to %sysfunc(countw(&string));
     %let text=%scan(&string,&i,%str( ));
     %put &i &text;
%end;
%mend enum;
%enum(abc def ghi jkl)

Adding: you can do this in a data step as well, so unless you have a good reason for doing it in a macro, do it in a data step.

Re: Using a macro to enumerate

kpberger — Wed, 30 Sep 2020 18:37:28 GMT

Thanks for your reply. The macro calls do have to remain separate, and yes it has to be in a macro. Do you know of a way where the macro calls can remain separate?

Re: Using a macro to enumerate

PaigeMiller — Wed, 30 Sep 2020 18:40:12 GMT

If the macro calls have to be separate, then I don't understand the desired functioning here. Please explain further. And also, explain why it has to be a macro and not a data step.

Re: Using a macro to enumerate

Tom — Wed, 30 Sep 2020 18:46:54 GMT

Make X a global macro variable instead of a parameter. If you want to reset the counter just assign a value to the global macro variable.

%macro enum (string);
%global enum_count ;
%let enum_count=%eval(&enum_count+1);
%put &enum_count. &string.;
%mend enum;

31    %let enum_count=0;
32    %enum(horg);
1 horg
33    %enum(blorg);
2 blorg
34    %enum(chorg);
3 chorg

Re: Using a macro to enumerate

Reeza — Wed, 30 Sep 2020 19:08:26 GMT

Look up CALL EXECUTE().

Re: Using a macro to enumerate

kpberger — Wed, 30 Sep 2020 19:47:44 GMT

Perfect, thank you so much!!