topic Re: How to print out red colored error message inside a macro in SAS Programming

How to print out red colored error message inside a macro

LL5 — Fri, 14 Jun 2024 18:58:43 GMT

I am trying to print out an error message (with the red color) in the log if certain conditions are met inside a macro.

The first data step outside of a macro worked as intended, I am able to see the red color error message in the log.

However, I want to achieve the same within the macro, but putlog or %putlog does not work inside the macro, and %put does not print out the error message in the same way as the first data step did.

Can anyone share some insights on how to achieve this? Thanks

DATA T;
X = 3;
IF X = 3 THEN putlog "ERROR: this should not happen";
RUN;

%macro T;
DATA T;
X = 3;
%IF X = 3 %THEN %PUT "ERROR: this should not happen ";
RUN;
%mend;
%T;

Re: How to print out red colored error message inside a macro

WarrenKuhfeld — Fri, 14 Jun 2024 19:15:44 GMT

Have you tried getting rid of the quotes with %PUT?

Re: How to print out red colored error message inside a macro

ballardw — Fri, 14 Jun 2024 19:18:25 GMT

Why are you using %IF to evaluate DATA variables?

The text X=3 to the macro processor.

%macro T;
DATA T;
  X = 3;
  IF X = 3 THEN PUT "ERROR: this should not happen ";
RUN;
%mend;

%T;

If you want to compare the value of a MACRO variable:

%let x=3;
%if &x. = 3 %then %do;
   %put ERROR: This is an error message;
%end;

Re: How to print out red colored error message inside a macro

LL5 — Fri, 14 Jun 2024 19:31:37 GMT

@ballardw That's great. I know what the issue is - 1)I shouldn't have use quoted to wrap the error message inside the macro. 2)Also, I am not aware we can use %if %then %else outside of a macro, so this is a great discovery for me.

Lastly, I used %if to evaluate data variable is because I used a bad example to ask this question and I realized it's a bad demonstration.

Thanks for your solution, that's amazing great!

Re: How to print out red colored error message inside a macro

LL5 — Fri, 14 Jun 2024 19:32:57 GMT

Yes, I realized it didn't work because I had quote around the text. Thanks for the tips!