topic Re: find numbers from string in macro in SAS Programming

find numbers from string in macro

draroda — Wed, 28 Sep 2016 15:28:06 GMT

Hi All,

I have data as below.

Values

LAB_RESULT1

LAB_UNITS

LAB_HI1

I want to find out the string which contain numbers at any position in string.

I need the same in macro only and in macro anydigit is not working for me.

Regards,

Rajesh

Re: find numbers from string in macro

RW9 — Wed, 28 Sep 2016 15:34:48 GMT

Yes, anydigit() will not work straight off, you could put it in %sysfunc(), but that has limited functions it supports. The simple point here is the Macro language is NOT the programming language. It is a text generation tool. Base SAS is THE programming language, it has all the data types, the functions, the procedures. Use the right tool for the right job, you wouldn't believe how many questions take the form "Have to use macro, not working", and the answer is always use Base SAS. If you abosultely have to have the string in macro then:

data _null_;
  if anydigit("&VALUE.") then res=1;
  else res=0;
  call symput('res',res);
run;

...
%if &res. %then %do;
...

This combines Base SAS step with macro variables.

Re: find numbers from string in macro

Astounding — Wed, 28 Sep 2016 15:42:39 GMT

You will need to find a new plan.

Macro language does not process values within a SAS data set. You would have to first create a set of macro variables from the data values, and then macro language could examine them one by one.

Re: find numbers from string in macro

ballardw — Wed, 28 Sep 2016 15:50:18 GMT

And to add to @Astounding's very important comment, you would have to multiple the complexity severely if there are other pieces of information needed such as the values of other variables.