topic Re: SAS macro loop not considering one macro variable in conditional logic statement in SAS Programming

SAS macro loop not considering one macro variable in conditional logic statement

lsandell — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 17:26:07 GMT

Hi there, I am writing a macro loop to run univariate tests and output test 3 results to datasets. This loop is intended for a large dataset where I have too many variables to include in individual macro calls. I want to run 2 different modeling frameworks based on the format applied to numeric variables. Right now, the format (i.e., &fmtlist) is not being considered and my 0/1 variables that have the Y. format (0="no", 1="yes") applied are not being run within the logistic regression PROC. Any ideas for why this is being ignored?

I do not get any error messages, but my results are incorrect as all my "numeric" variables are being fed into the PROC GLM, despite having my Y. format applied.

Additionally, I would like to append all the results together into one dataset. I need to figure that out, once I get the correct results to be output.

Thanks!

proc format library = form.formats;
value y
.= 'Missing'
0= 'No'
1= 'Yes'
;
run;

proc contents data = x varnum out=variable_list; run;

data variable_list;
length format $1.;
set variable_list;
run;

proc sql noprint select name,type,format
into :varlist separated by ' ',
:typelist separated by ' ',
:fmtlist separated by ' '
from variable_list; 
quit;
%let cntlist = &sqlobs;

%macro univar;
%do i=1 %to %cntlist;

%if %scan(&typelist, &i)=1 %then %do;

%if %scan(&fmtlist, &i)="Y" %then %do;
proc logistic data = &data;
	format %scan(&varlist, &i) y.;
	class %scan(&varlist, &i) (ref=FIRST) / param = ref;
	model outcome(event="Y") =  %scan(&varlist, &i);
	ods output modelANOVA = nfit&i;
	run;
	%end;

%else %if %scan(&fmtlist, &i) ne "Y" %then %do;
proc glm data = &data;
	class outcome (ref="N") / param = ref;
	model %scan(&varlist, &i) = exposure;
	ods output modelANOVA = cfit&i;
	quit;
	%end;
%end;

%else %if %scan(&typelist, &i)=2 %then %do;
proc logistic data = &data;
	class %scan(&varlist, &i) (ref=FIRST) / param = ref;
	model outcome(event="Y") =  %scan(&varlist, &i);
	ods output modelANOVA = cfit&i;
	run;
	%end;

%end;
%mend univar;
%univar;

first values from the log: %put &fmtlist; $ $ Y $ $ Y Y

Re: SAS macro loop not considering one macro variable in conditional logic statement

Kurt_Bremser — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 17:05:48 GMT

Where is the definition of macro cntlist?

Re: SAS macro loop not considering one macro variable in conditional logic statement

lsandell — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 17:10:11 GMT

I forgot to copy that over from my program. Whoops, it's:
%let cntlist = &sqlobs;

placed after proc sql and before the macro.

Re: SAS macro loop not considering one macro variable in conditional logic statement

PaigeMiller — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 17:12:30 GMT

This is a situation where LOOKING AT the data, in this case SAS data set VARIABLE_LIST would likely solve your program as you can see what values are in the variable named FORMAT, and it is these values which become part of macro variable &FMTLIST.

Alternatively, you could simply have the macro processor display in the log the values of macro variable &FMTLIST.

%put &=fmtlist;

So, LOOK AT this macro variable or the original data. What do you see? Can you show it to us?

This line

%if %scan(&fmtlist, &i)="Y" %then %do;

probably will never work, unless the i-th element of &fmtlist is "Y", including the quotes, and Y must be capitalized. Is any element of &fmlist "Y"? I don't think so, you are deriving &fmtlist from format names a provided by PROC CONTENTS, and none of the formats are going to be "Y".

This line

%else %if %scan(&fmtlist, &i) ne "Y" %then %do;

will likely always cause the PROC GLM to execute as there are likely no values of the macro variable &fmtlist that are equal to "Y" (including the double quotes and with capital Y).

What will work? I don't know, you haven't shown us the values in &fmtlist

Re: SAS macro loop not considering one macro variable in conditional logic statement

ballardw — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 17:17:58 GMT

Not every data set will actually have a FORMAT reported by Proc Contents.

Run this an look at the values in the FORMAT variable of the output data set:

proc contents data =sashelp.class varnum out=variable_list; run;

That is an indication of default formats for each variable type. So for what appears to be your purpose before adding a value to the "list" you have to make sure there is one, and likely check if the variable type is numeric and use BEST and CHAR if character (or B and C).

What is the purpose of extracting the first letter of a format to begin with? Sounds pretty hokey for any usage.

Base64

Binary ( and you need a type to tell if you want the Character or Numeric version)

B8601 (about two dozen flavors)

Best

Re: SAS macro loop not considering one macro variable in conditional logic statement

lsandell — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 17:18:06 GMT

I do see Y in the &fmtlist output in the log. I placed in quotes as it is character.

I can't edit my original post to include the log contents, so here is an excerpt of the first values from the log: %put &fmtlist; $ $ Y $ $ Y Y .

Re: SAS macro loop not considering one macro variable in conditional logic statement

PaigeMiller — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 17:28:04 GMT

Y is not "Y"

%macro dothis;
%let var=Y;
%if &var="Y" %then %put Value is Equal;
%mend;
%dothis

No quotes required here, macro processing treats all text as text, even if they look like numbers. The %if in your code is testing to see if the macro variable is equal to the three characters "Y" (double quote-Y-double quote)

Re: SAS macro loop not considering one macro variable in conditional logic statement

lsandell — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 17:27:34 GMT

Ah, that makes sense. Thank you for clarifying the macro processing details.

Re: SAS macro loop not considering one macro variable in conditional logic statement

Reeza — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 17:28:30 GMT

Did you run the macro with symbolgen and mprint options on? If so, what does the log show for those steps where it errors out?