topic Re: macros in SAS Programming

macros

pawandh — Thu, 24 Dec 2015 16:05:56 GMT

%let a=2 here a is a macro variable and is character and if i write ths

proc print data=data;

where rating=&a;

run;

then records with rating=2 is coming.How ths character is getting resolved as numeric over here?

Re: macros

mohamed_zaki — Thu, 24 Dec 2015 16:25:48 GMT

"Macro variables contain only character data. However, the macro facility has features that enable a variable to be evaluated as a number when it contains character data that can be interpreted as a number."

Introduction to Macro Variables

Re: macros

Astounding — Thu, 24 Dec 2015 21:42:01 GMT

SAS language can interpret 2 as either character or numeric, depending on the context:

xrays=2;

robot='R2D2';

Macro language is not determining whether "2" is character or numeric. It is merely substituting "2" into the program, making it:

proc print data=data;

where rating=2;

run;

SAS language then interprets the program, and decides what each word means.