topic Re: Pass a the value of VTYPE to macro variable in SAS Programming

Pass a the value of VTYPE to macro variable

Abdu — Fri, 16 May 2014 20:48:02 GMT

Dear All,

I am trying to pass the return value of VTYPE to a macro variable, but was not successful. The code and output are as the following. Please give a suggestion:

CODE:

DATA test;

SET LOCFRST;

IF VTYPE(ENRLL)= 'C' THEN DO;

%LET VarTyp=VTYPE(ENRLL);

VarTyp2 = VTYPE(ENRLL);

PUT "NOTE: VTYPE = &VarTyp = VTYPE(ENRLL), Another test: " VarTyp2=;

END;

RUN;

LOG:

NOTE: VTYPE = VTYPE(ENRLL) = VTYPE(ENRLL), Another test: VarTyp2=C

Why the 'C' did not assign to Macrovariable VarTyp?

Thanks,

Abdu.

Re: Pass a the value of VTYPE to macro variable

Reeza — Fri, 16 May 2014 20:55:05 GMT

In a data step it's easier to use call symput to create macro variables.

The following should work.

call symput ('vartype', vtype(enrll));

How does the macro language know if you want to store the text "VTYPE(ENRLL)" or the resolved value of said function?

You can tell it to resolve the function using %sysfunc, %eval depending on what you're doing.

Re: Pass a the value of VTYPE to macro variable

Patrick — Sat, 17 May 2014 00:37:59 GMT

Adding to what posted:

You will need to read up a bit of how SAS macro language and SAS data step interact. You have a timing issue with your %let statement and it executes before the data step actually iterates through the data.

Using a "call symput" instead will do the job - only execute it once though "IF _n_=1 and VTYPE(ENRLL)= 'C' THEN DO;"

data test;
set sashelp.class;
length vartyp2 $1;
retain vartyp2;

if _n_=1 and vtype(name)= 'c' then
    do;
      vartyp2 = vtype(name);
      call symput ('vartype', vtype(name));
    end;

run;

%put vartype is: &vartype;