macro variable + scan function=ERROR 388-185: Expecting an arithmetic operator

chris2377 — Mon, 13 Apr 2015 14:28:48 GMT

What am I doing wrong with the code below?

Best,

Chris

data have;

input var $1.;

datalines;

;

run;

data want;

input var $ var2 $;

cards;

a b

b b

c b

d b

;

run;

proc sql noprint;

select distinct var into :macro_var separated by " "

from have;

quit;

data want;

set have;

var2=scan(&macro_var,2);

run;

The code above gives me the following error:

1435 data want1;

1436 set have;

1437 var2=scan(&macro_var,2);

NOTE: Line generated by the macro variable "MACRO_VAR".

1 a b c d

388

ERROR 388-185: Expecting an arithmetic operator.

ERROR 76-322: Syntax error, statement will be ignored.

1438 run;

NOTE: The SAS System stopped processing this step because of errors.

WARNING: The data set WORK.WANT1 may be incomplete. When this step was stopped there were 0

observations and 2 variables.

NOTE: DATA statement used (Total process time):

real time 0.01 seconds

cpu time 0.01 seconds

Re: macro variable + scan function=ERROR 388-185: Expecting an arithmetic operator

RW9 — Mon, 13 Apr 2015 14:32:34 GMT

Change:

var2=scan(&macro_var,2);

To:

var2=scan("&macro_var.",2);

Remember that in this instance you are using scan as a function in a datastep, so parameter one needs to be a string - i.e. quoted.

Re: macro variable + scan function=ERROR 388-185: Expecting an arithmetic operator

chris2377 — Mon, 13 Apr 2015 14:34:58 GMT

Thanks a lot!

Best

topic Re: macro variable + scan function=ERROR 388-185: Expecting an arithmetic operator in SAS Programming

macro variable + scan function=ERROR 388-185: Expecting an arithmetic operator

Re: macro variable + scan function=ERROR 388-185: Expecting an arithmetic operator

Re: macro variable + scan function=ERROR 388-185: Expecting an arithmetic operator