Help with SAS Macro

xliu1 — Thu, 25 Jun 2026 16:24:04 GMT

Attached is the macro definition. The programs runs and returns the expected results. But I get warning in the SAS log. The college list is supposed to be: A&S,AICC,BCS,DRP,EDU,ENG,HLTH,MBUS,NUR,OUS. When I call the macro, I get warning in the SAS log: How can I fix the code to remove the warning? Thanks.

%macro fit_autoreg_params;

  data cohort_params_all;
    length college $32 parameter $32 estimate 8;
    stop;
  run;

  data selected_vars_all;
    length college $32 variable $32 model_status $20;
    stop;
  run;

  %let n=%sysfunc(countw(%superq(college_list), %str(,)));

  %do i=1 %to &n;

    %let this_college=%scan(%superq(college_list), &i, %str(,));

    data hist_one;
      set cohort_hist;
	  where college=%tslit(&this_college);
      *where college = "&this_college";
      time_c = cohort_yr - &mean_year;
    run;

    data hist_one_recent;
      set hist_one;

      if college eq "OUS" and cohort_yr <= 2006 then delete;
      if college eq "NUR" and cohort_yr = 2006 then delete;
    run;

    proc sql noprint;
      select count(*) into :nobs trimmed
      from hist_one_recent;
    quit;

    %if &nobs >= 6 %then %do;

      ods exclude all;
      ods output ParameterEstimates=pe_one;

      proc autoreg data=hist_one_recent;
        model COHORT_6YR =
              time_c female_perc sch100_perc gpa2_perc senior_perc
              / nlag=1 method=ml backstep dw=5 dwprob;
      run;
      quit;

      ods select all;

      data pe_one2;
        length college $32 parameter $32 estimate 8;
        set pe_one(rename=(Variable=_Variable Estimate=_Estimate));
        
		college=%tslit(&this_college);
        *college = "&this_college";
        parameter    = strip(_Variable);
        estimate     = _Estimate;

        if upcase(parameter) = "AR1" then delete;

        keep college parameter estimate;
      run;

      proc append base=cohort_params_all data=pe_one2 force;
      run;

      data selected_one;
        length college $32 variable $32 model_status $20;
        set pe_one(rename=(Variable=_Variable));

		college=%tslit(&this_college);
        *college = "&this_college";
        variable     = strip(_Variable);
        model_status = "backstep_kept";

        if upcase(variable) = "AR1" then delete;

        keep college variable model_status;
      run;

      proc append base=selected_vars_all data=selected_one force;
      run;

    %end;

    %else %if &nobs >= 2 %then %do;

      /* Trend fallback: COHORT_6YR = Intercept + time_c */

      proc sort data=hist_one_recent;
        by cohort_yr;
      run;

      ods exclude all;
      ods output ParameterEstimates=pe_fallback;

      proc reg data=hist_one_recent;
        model COHORT_6YR = time_c;
      run;
      quit;

      ods select all;

      data pe_one2;
        length college $32 parameter $32 estimate 8;
        set pe_fallback(rename=(Variable=parameter Estimate=estimate));

		college=%tslit(&this_college);
        *college = "&this_college";

        keep college parameter estimate;
      run;

      proc append base=cohort_params_all data=pe_one2 force;
      run;

      data selected_one;
        length college $32 variable $32 model_status $20;
        college=%tslit(&this_college);
		*college = "&this_college";

        variable = "Intercept"; model_status = "fallback_trend"; output;
        variable = "time_c";    model_status = "fallback_trend"; output;
      run;

      proc append base=selected_vars_all data=selected_one force;
      run;

    %end;

    %else %do;

      /* Very sparse fallback: flat last observed value */

      proc sort data=hist_one_recent;
        by cohort_yr;
      run;

      data _null_;
        set hist_one_recent end=lastobs;
        if lastobs then call symputx('last_cohort', COHORT_6YR);
      run;

      data pe_one2;
        length college $32 parameter $32 estimate 8;
        college=%tslit(&this_college);
        *college = "&this_college";

        parameter = "Intercept"; estimate = &last_cohort; output;
        parameter = "time_c";    estimate = 0;            output;
      run;

      proc append base=cohort_params_all data=pe_one2 force;
      run;

      data selected_one;
        length college $32 variable $32 model_status $20;
        college=%tslit(&this_college);
        *college = "&this_college";

        variable = "Intercept"; model_status = "fallback_flat"; output;
        variable = "time_c";    model_status = "fallback_flat"; output;
      run;

      proc append base=selected_vars_all data=selected_one force;
      run;

    %end;

  %end;

%mend;

Re: Help with SAS Macro

FreelanceReinh — Thu, 25 Jun 2026 16:58:16 GMT

Hello @xliu1,

Using %QSCAN instead of %SCAN should resolve the issue, as it masks the ampersand (macro trigger) in "A&S".

%let this_college=%qscan(%superq(college_list), &i, %str(,));

Re: Help with SAS Macro

xliu1 — Thu, 25 Jun 2026 17:39:36 GMT

Thank you! It works out in the program and removed SAS warning.

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