topic Meaning of the code %let SafeMode=0; ? in SAS Programming

Meaning of the code %let SafeMode=0; ?

Phil_NZ — Mon, 08 Mar 2021 02:37:23 GMT

Hi all SAS Users,

Today I had a chance to read some codes from other published papers. And I stuck at the first line

The first line is

%let SafeMode=0;

They explain it like that but I did not understand, could you please explain it to me? I did a search from google but no document available for this code?

/* Changing Safemode parameter to 1 would add few additional filters.  (default=0)
It is inactive in the default settings. It might be useful for first look at new datasets */
%let SafeMode=0;

I know %let is used to assign a value for one variable, but do not know more than that for this code.

Warmest regards,

Re: Meaning of the code %let SafeMode=0; ?

ChrisNZ — Mon, 08 Mar 2021 02:46:26 GMT

The program assigns a value of 0 to macro variable SafeMode.

What effect this has should be determined from the comment provided, and from how the macro is used.

It is a user-created variable and how it's used is entirely up to the person who used it.

Re: Meaning of the code %let SafeMode=0; ?

ballardw — Mon, 08 Mar 2021 08:50:50 GMT

If you have the entire code of the macro I will bet that you find at least one instance of

%if &safemode=1 %then <other code>

%if &safemode=0 %then <other code>

if not both. What comes after the IF is what the macro variable is controlling.

Re: Meaning of the code %let SafeMode=0; ?

Phil_NZ — Mon, 08 Mar 2021 09:01:40 GMT

Hi @ballardw

You are right! There are some lines of code exactly what you mentioned

%if &safemode=1 %then <other code>

Warm regards.