topic Re: Why proc print made error? in SAS Programming

Why proc print made error?

randomman — Sun, 20 Aug 2023 23:17:47 GMT

data a;
input name $ age height weight;
datalines;
don 28 168 76
;run;
%macro cols1; name age; %mend;
%macro cols2; height weight; %mend;
proc print data = a; var %cols2 %cols1; run;

Re: Why proc print made error?

Astounding — Sun, 20 Aug 2023 23:52:10 GMT

Calling %cols2 generates all the text within the macro:

height weight;

Extrapolating upon this, your full VAR statement generates:

var height weight; name age;

Clearly, there's an extra semicolon. A good solution would be to remove the generated semicolons from the macro definition. Have %cols2 generate only:

height weight

Then add a semicolon for the VAR statement when calling the macros:

var %cols2 %cols1 ;

Re: Why proc print made error?

Patrick — Mon, 21 Aug 2023 02:44:45 GMT

Remove the semicolons and your code will work.

You normally only use macros for dynamic code generation.

For your case you'd rather use macro variables as in below sample code.

%let cols1=name age;
%let cols2=height weight;

proc print data = a;
  var &cols2 &cols1;
run;

A macro definition for your sample could look like:

%macro doit(cols1,cols2);
  proc print data = a;
    var &cols2 &cols1;
  run;
%mend;

%doit(name age, height weight);

And as an advice: Don't dive too early into SAS macro coding. First get "solid" with SAS data step and SAS Proc's.