topic Re: How to stack macro variables into a column/dataset?! in SAS Programming

How to stack macro variables into a column/dataset?!

hellohere — Sun, 14 Sep 2025 02:34:04 GMT

I need stack a series into a dataset/column. Tried and failed. How to do it? %let var1=205; %let var3=306; %let var3=409; data mvtemp； input var note $8.; datalines; &var1. X &var2. Xx &var3. YYY ; run;quit;

Re: How to stack macro variables into a column/dataset?!

hellohere — Sun, 14 Sep 2025 02:35:13 GMT

Here is a post, which is close. https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/Passing-a-Macro-Variable-value-into-a-data-step/m-p/791442#M253501 BUT I need use datalines to stack, rather than use = to assign.

Re: How to stack macro variables into a column/dataset?!

Ksharp — Sun, 14 Sep 2025 06:27:58 GMT

Unfortunately, DATALINES or CARDS does not support macro variable ,you need put these macro variable into a text file ,and read this text file .

This feature has already been mentioned in sas documentation.

Re: How to stack macro variables into a column/dataset?!

Ksharp — Sun, 14 Sep 2025 07:12:52 GMT

But a workaround way is using RESOLVE() or SYMGETN().

%let var1=205; 
%let var2=306; 
%let var3=409; 

data mvtemp;
input var $ note $; 
new_var1=input(resolve(var),best.);
new_var2=symgetn(compress(var,'&.'));
datalines; 
&var1. X 
&var2. Xx 
&var3. YYY 
; 
run;

Re: How to stack macro variables into a column/dataset?!

hellohere — Sun, 14 Sep 2025 07:57:52 GMT

Thanks, It works.

I take from prev. post. The code below is ok also.

%let mvars=&_ref_1.@&_ref_2.@&_ref_3.@&_ref_4.@&_ref_5.@&_ref_6.@&_ref_7.@&_ref_8.@&_ref_9.;
 %let mvars2=max@min@max@min@max@min@max@min@max;
	data &indexout._&dt._mm_ind;
	do i= 1 to countw(symget('mvars'),'@');
		length mm_indx note $8. ;
			mm_indx=scan(symget('mvars'),i,'@');
			note=scan(symget('mvars2'),i,'@');
		output;
	end;
	run;quit;

Re: How to stack macro variables into a column/dataset?!

Tom — Sun, 14 Sep 2025 14:48:29 GMT

I am not sure what you mean by "stack". But it looks like you want to resolve a series of macro variables with the same base name and a numeric suffix. Why not use SYMGET() function?

data mvtemp；
  length var $32 ;
  var = symget(cats('var',_n_));
  input note $8.;
cards;
X
Xx
YYY
;

Or since it looks like the values of the VARxx macro variables have digit strings perhaps you want to use SYMGETN() instead?

data mvtemp；
  value = symgetn(cats('var',_n_));
  input note $8.;
cards;
X
Xx
YYY
;