topic Re: call symput in SAS Programming

call symput

soujik — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 15:15:59 GMT

CHECK dataset created before , but why below bolded step for

data _NULL_;
set CHECK;
call symput ('CHECK',CHECK);
run;

Re: call symput

PaigeMiller — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 15:30:33 GMT

This bolded step creates a macro variable named CHECK that contains the value of the data set variable named CHECK.

You can have the value of the macro variable CHECK written to the log by running this line of code after the data step.

%put &=check;

Re: call symput

soujik — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 15:32:21 GMT

Hey, thank you... you mean like below

data _NULL_;
set CHECK;
call symput ('CHECK',CHECK);
run;

%put & = check;

Re: call symput

PaigeMiller — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 15:40:21 GMT

You seem to have put spaces before and after the equal sign in the %put statement, which is not correct.

Re: call symput

soujik — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 15:49:11 GMT

thank you I got some number(xxxxx), but i want this number in date format (like 22NOV2023)

in log I see CHECK= XXXXX

Re: call symput

PaigeMiller — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 15:50:49 GMT

More explanation is needed. What are you going to do with this macro variable CHECK?

Re: call symput

soujik — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 15:55:38 GMT

I want to see variable value in log

Re: call symput

PaigeMiller — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 16:04:39 GMT

The %PUT statement shows you the value of the variable. Please be generous with information ... please explain more about what you are going to do with the macro variable &CHECK. Please explain, in detail, what happens with this macro variable after this in your code. Please don't make me ask repeatedly for more information.

Re: call symput

Tom — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 16:14:37 GMT

The step will store the last value of the variable CHECK read from the dataset CHECK into the macro variable named CHECK.

Note that along the way it will also store all of the other values of CHECK into the macro variable, but they will be replaced by the value written later. So only the value from the last observation will be available after the data step ends.

NOTE: You almost never want to use the ancient CALL SYMPUT() method. Instead use the modern (its only been available for about 30 years) CALL SYMPUTX() method instead. The only reason to use CALL SYMPUT() is if you really need to have leading and/or trailing spaces written into the macro variable.

Re: call symput

Tom — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 16:23:45 GMT

The number used to store the date '22NOV2023'd is 23,336. So having a value like 23336 in the macro variable means you can use it to compare to other date values.

Example:

3179  data _null_;
3180    date='22NOV2023'd;
3181    put date=;
3182    call symput('date1',date);
3183    call symputX('date2',date);
3184  run;

NOTE: Numeric values have been converted to character values at the places given by: (Line):(Column).
      3182:23
date=23336
NOTE: DATA statement used (Total process time):
      real time           0.00 seconds
      cpu time            0.00 seconds


3185
3186  %put &=date1 &=date2;
DATE1=       23336 DATE2=23336

Notice how using the ancient CALL SYMPUT() method generates extra leading spaces in the macro variable and also ugly notes in the SAS log about converting numbers to characters.

If you would like the string 22NOV2023 written into the macro variable then tell SAS to convert the date using the DATE9. format.

data _null_;
  set check;
  call symputx('check',put(check,date9.));
run;

But note that if you wanted to use &CHECK to compare to other date values you will need to add quotes and the letter d.

where mydate <= "&check"d