topic Re: Print marco variable in SAS Programming

Print marco variable

sarahzhou — Wed, 05 Jan 2022 15:33:18 GMT

Hi, for the marco below

data test;
/*   store="Susan's Office Supplies";*/
   store="Susan's store.";
   call symput('s',store);
run;

%macro readit;
   %if %bquote(&s) ne %then %put *** valid ***;
   %else %put *** null value ***;
%mend readit;


%readit

DATA getting_I_want;
I_want = SYMGET('readit');
I_want_c = "&readit";
run;

Then I get a result table for GETTING_I_WANT as below:

I_want I_want_c
&readit

However I really wanted to see the message uner I_want and I_want_c be "*** valid ***".

How do I modify my code.

Thanks

Re: Print marco variable

PaigeMiller — Wed, 05 Jan 2022 15:49:57 GMT

Maxim 2: Read the log

1     data test;
2     /*   store="Susan's Office Supplies";*/
3        store="Susan's store.";
4        call symput('s',store);
5     run;

NOTE: The data set WORK.TEST has 1 observations and 1 variables.
NOTE: Compressing data set WORK.TEST increased size by 100.00 percent.
      Compressed is 2 pages; un-compressed would require 1 pages.
NOTE: DATA statement used (Total process time):
      real time           0.05 seconds
      cpu time            0.06 seconds


6
7     %macro readit;
8        %if %bquote(&s) ne %then %put *** valid ***;
9        %else %put *** null value ***;
10    %mend readit;
11
12
13    %readit
*** valid ***
14
15    DATA getting_I_want;
16    I_want = SYMGET('readit');
17    I_want_c = "&readit";
WARNING: Apparent symbolic reference READIT not resolved.
18    run;

NOTE: Invalid argument to function SYMGET('readit') at line 16 column 10.
I_want=  I_want_c=&readit _ERROR_=1 _N_=1
NOTE: The data set WORK.GETTING_I_WANT has 1 observations and 2 variables.
NOTE: Compressing data set WORK.GETTING_I_WANT increased size by 100.00 percent.
      Compressed is 2 pages; un-compressed would require 1 pages.
NOTE: DATA statement used (Total process time):
      real time           0.01 seconds
      cpu time            0.01 seconds

You have not created a macro variable named &READIT and so your code doesn't work.

Here's an alternative that does create a macro variable named &READIT and does work:

%macro readit;
   %global readit;
   %if %bquote(&s) ne %then %let readit= *** valid ***;
   %else %let readit= *** null value ***;
%mend readit;

Re: Print marco variable

PaigeMiller — Wed, 05 Jan 2022 15:55:16 GMT

Adding: if you have SAS 9.4M5 or later, you don't need macro %READIT here, you can use %IF %THEN %ELSE in open code.

%if %bquote(&s) ne %then %do; %let readit= *** valid ***; %end;
%else %do; %let readit= *** null value ***; %end;

Re: Print marco variable

Amir — Wed, 05 Jan 2022 17:56:24 GMT

Hi @sarahzhou,

Looking at your code, it looks like you are trying to get the result out of the macro readit.

Removing %put from readit allows you to execute the macro to populate the fixed string value in the data step.

The below code looks like it achieves what you want.

I assume there is more to your code than you have shared, as no macro code would really be needed to achieve the same result.

data test;
   /* store="Susan's Office Supplies"; */
   store="Susan's store.";
   call symput('s',store);
run;


%macro readit;
   %if %bquote(&s) ne %then *** valid ***;
   %else *** null value ***;
%mend readit;


data getting_I_want;
   I_want = "%readit";
   I_want_c = "%readit";
run;

Thanks & Kind regards,

Amir.