Using a single quote in macro parameter

xxformat_com — Thu, 25 Mar 2021 12:30:27 GMT

Hi,

If someone what to use an apostrophe in a macro parameter, he has at least 3 ways to specify it in the macro call

%macro demo (text1);
%put text1= &text1.;
%mend demo;

%demo(%str(I don%'t know));

%macro demo (text1);
%let text1=%qsysfunc(dequote(&text1.));
%put text1= &text1.;
%mend demo;

%demo("I don't know");
%demo('I don''t know');

Now, assuming that we want to use two apostrophes (which resolve to one) in the macro parameter, what should be done to display the macro parameter value?

Expected result:

text1= I don't know

I could think of this solution. Would you have any other suggestion?

%macro demo (text1);

data _null_;   
    call symputx('text1',tranwrd(dequote("&text1."),"''","'"),'L');
run;

%put text1= %bquote(&text1.);

%mend demo;

%demo(I don''t know);

Cheers

Re: Using a single quote in macro parameter

Tom — Thu, 25 Mar 2021 12:57:47 GMT

I don't understand what you are asking for.

If you could potentially have unbalanced quotes (or other potentially special characters) in a macro variable and you want to display it then add some macro quoting. %superq() is good for this.

%put The value of TEXT1 is : %superq(text1) ;

If users have passed in unbalanced quotes by adding actual quotes around the value use %Qsysfunc(dequote()) to remove them and return a macro quoted value.

201   %macro test(parm1);
202   %local var1;
203   %let var1=%qsysfunc(dequote(&parm1));
204   %put PARM1=%superq(parm1);
205   %put VAR1=%superq(var1);
206   %mend test;
207
208   %test("I don't know");
PARM1="I don't know"
VAR1=I don't know

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Using a single quote in macro parameter

Re: Using a single quote in macro parameter