topic Re: SAS Macro %substr in SAS Programming

SAS Macro %substr

PSIOT — Tue, 08 Aug 2017 08:26:33 GMT

Dear all,

I try to keep only the first 11 character from string with carriage return.

ex:

"In progress. # 1 DCF[ CLOSED ] 02/03/2017 15:46Mr A. ADJE wrote null.and proposed value 999,999,999. 30/06/2017 11:10Mme
M. CANEAU wrote ok.and proposed value null. # 1 Notification. Change performed by Mme M. CANEAU on 30/06/2017 11:10 :ok-new
value: null"

Please find my sentence in my macro:

%let fileDel2=%unquote(%sysfunc(getvarc(&tabid2,%sysfunc(varnum(&tabid2,&nomvar2)))));
%put &fileDel2;
%let nou=%substr(&fileDel2,1,11);
%put &nou;

The log displays:
In progress. # 1 DCF[ CLOSED ] 02/03/2017 15:46Mr A. ADJE wrote null.and proposed value 999,999,999. 30/06/2017 11:10Mme
M. CANEAU wrote ok.and proposed value null. # 1 Notification. Change performed by Mme M. CANEAU on 30/06/2017 11:10 : ok - new
value: null
ERROR: Macro function %SUBSTR has too many arguments.
ERROR: The macro KEEPMONITORTAB will stop executing.

If i perform directly on table without macro, it works.

What can I do for that works also throught macro?

Thanks for your help

Re: SAS Macro %substr

Kurt_Bremser — Tue, 08 Aug 2017 08:33:26 GMT

Simple answer: don't do it. Macro language is for the creation of dynamic code, not for manipulating data.

An abomination like

%let fileDel2=%unquote(%sysfunc(getvarc(&tabid2,%sysfunc(varnum(&tabid2,&nomvar2)))));

is the consequence of trying to abuse the macro processor.

Re: SAS Macro %substr

Astounding — Tue, 08 Aug 2017 11:27:16 GMT

You can probably (can't get it right now) get away with this:

%let nou = %unquote( %substr(%superq(fileDel2), 1, 11) ) ;

Most likely, the problems occur because of the commas within the value of &fileDel2. %SUBSTR interprets them as marking the end of one parameter and the beginning of the next.

Re: SAS Macro %substr

PSIOT — Tue, 08 Aug 2017 13:15:55 GMT

Thank you that works