topic libname won't call the macro variable in SAS Programming

libname won't call the macro variable

ericdrosano — Wed, 30 Jun 2021 13:45:20 GMT

I am running the following code, but when calling the macro-variable I just created, "dir", libname does not work. As you can see, the "dir" macro-variable is the EXACT same path used to create the library testa, which successfully creates the library.

libname testa 'C:\Users' ;
%let dir = C:\Users;
libname testb '&dir';

libname testc '&dir.';

libname testd ' &dir ';

libname teste ' &dir. ';

Every time I run this code, I get the same 'NOTE: Library TEST_X_ does not exist.' message for each test, i.e., TESTB, TESTC, TESTD, & TESTE. (For brevity, I did not include ALL of those error messages.)

159 libname testa 'C:\Users' ;
NOTE: Libref TESTA was successfully assigned as follows:
Engine: V9
Physical Name: C:\Users
160 %let dir = C:\Users;
161 libname testb '&dir';
NOTE: Library TESTB does not exist.

Your help is appreciated!

Re: libname won't call the macro variable

Tom — Wed, 30 Jun 2021 13:47:55 GMT

The macro processor ignores text that is bounded on the outside by single quotes.

Use double quotes instead if you want the macro processor to see the macro variable reference.

libname testa 'C:\Users' ;
%let dir = C:\Users;
libname testb "&dir";

Re: libname won't call the macro variable

ericdrosano — Wed, 30 Jun 2021 14:01:25 GMT

Double quotes versus single quotes... got me crying over here!!!
Thank you mightily!