topic Re: understanding macros in SAS Programming https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/understanding-macros/m-p/129176#M260480 <HTML><HEAD></HEAD><BODY><P>ok thank you very much</P></BODY></HTML> Wed, 06 Mar 2013 19:26:43 GMT Kormla 2013-03-06T19:26:43Z understanding macros https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/understanding-macros/m-p/129170#M260474 <HTML><HEAD></HEAD><BODY><UL><LI><A name="a001322046"></A> %if &amp;name=GEORGE %then %let lastname=smith;</LI></UL><P></P><P>If i have the above macros, why did the &amp;name statement used the ampersand &amp; but not %, please help. Thanks.</P></BODY></HTML> Wed, 06 Mar 2013 18:25:19 GMT https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/understanding-macros/m-p/129170#M260474 Kormla 2013-03-06T18:25:19Z Re: understanding macros https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/understanding-macros/m-p/129171#M260475 <HTML><HEAD></HEAD><BODY><P>because name is a macro variable. You have to use &amp; when you use a macro variable.</P></BODY></HTML> Wed, 06 Mar 2013 18:49:23 GMT https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/understanding-macros/m-p/129171#M260475 Linlin 2013-03-06T18:49:23Z Re: understanding macros https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/understanding-macros/m-p/129172#M260476 <HTML><HEAD></HEAD><BODY><P>does it mean that name must be userdefined?</P></BODY></HTML> Wed, 06 Mar 2013 18:56:15 GMT https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/understanding-macros/m-p/129172#M260476 Kormla 2013-03-06T18:56:15Z Re: understanding macros https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/understanding-macros/m-p/129173#M260477 <HTML><HEAD></HEAD><BODY><P>I don't full understand what you mean by "must be userdefined". There are different ways to assign value to macro variable name.</P><P>one way is</P><P></P><P>%let name=GEORGE;</P></BODY></HTML> Wed, 06 Mar 2013 19:02:41 GMT https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/understanding-macros/m-p/129173#M260477 Linlin 2013-03-06T19:02:41Z Re: understanding macros https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/understanding-macros/m-p/129174#M260478 <HTML><HEAD></HEAD><BODY><P>hi, yes i understand that part, my question is why use this ampersand &amp; in name again</P></BODY></HTML> Wed, 06 Mar 2013 19:12:45 GMT https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/understanding-macros/m-p/129174#M260478 Kormla 2013-03-06T19:12:45Z Re: understanding macros https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/understanding-macros/m-p/129175#M260479 <HTML><HEAD></HEAD><BODY><P>without "&amp;" SAS does not know "name" is a macro variable.</P></BODY></HTML> Wed, 06 Mar 2013 19:22:33 GMT https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/understanding-macros/m-p/129175#M260479 Linlin 2013-03-06T19:22:33Z Re: understanding macros https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/understanding-macros/m-p/129176#M260480 <HTML><HEAD></HEAD><BODY><P>ok thank you very much</P></BODY></HTML> Wed, 06 Mar 2013 19:26:43 GMT https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/understanding-macros/m-p/129176#M260480 Kormla 2013-03-06T19:26:43Z