topic Re: how to create global variable with suffix in macro in SAS Programming

how to create global variable with suffix in macro

defaz — Tue, 27 Dec 2016 11:10:49 GMT

hi to all,

I try to create global variables with a macro. It works flawless with this:

%macro init_web_parameter(varlist);
 options symbolgen;
 %put XXXXXXVARLIST: &varlist;
 %let L_cnt=1;
 %let L_var=%qscan(%quote(&varlist.),&L_cnt.,%str( ));
 %do %while(&L_var ne %nrstr( )); 
    
		%if (%symexist(&L_var.) = 0) %then %do;
			%global &L_var  ; 
			%let &L_var      = ;
                        %put XXXXXX&L_Var: # &L_var._txt # &&&L_var._txt # &sk_fg_txt #;
		%end;

    %let L_cnt=%eval(&L_cnt+1);
    %let L_var=%qscan(%quote(&varlist.),&L_cnt.,%str( ));
 %end;
 options nosymbolgen;
	
%mend;

%init_web_parameter(sk_fg sk_fg_txt)

here is the log:

SYMBOLGEN:  Macro variable VARLIST resolves to sk_fg sk_fg_txt
XXXXXXVARLIST: sk_fg sk_fg_txt
SYMBOLGEN:  Macro variable VARLIST resolves to sk_fg sk_fg_txt
SYMBOLGEN:  Macro variable L_CNT resolves to 1
SYMBOLGEN:  Macro variable L_VAR resolves to sk_fg
SYMBOLGEN:  Some characters in the above value which were subject to macro quoting have been unquoted for printing.
...
WARNING: Apparent symbolic reference SK_FG_TXT not resolved.
XXXXXXsk_fg: # sk_fg_txt # &amp;sk_fg_txt # &amp;sk_fg_txt #
                                                                                          The SAS System

SYMBOLGEN:  Macro variable L_CNT resolves to 1
SYMBOLGEN:  Macro variable VARLIST resolves to sk_fg sk_fg_txt
SYMBOLGEN:  Macro variable L_CNT resolves to 2
...
SYMBOLGEN:  Macro variable SK_FG_TXT resolves to 
XXXXXXsk_fg_txt: # sk_fg_txt_txt # &amp;sk_fg_txt_txt #  #

but when I try to create additional variables with a suffix, I run into problem:

%macro init_web_parameter(varlist);
 options symbolgen;
 %put XXXXXXVARLIST: &varlist;
 %let L_cnt=1;
 %let L_var=%qscan(%quote(&varlist.),&L_cnt.,%str( ));
 %do %while(&L_var ne %nrstr( )); 
    
		%if (%symexist(&L_var.) = 0) %then %do;
			%global &L_var  &L_var._txt  ; 
			%let &L_var      = ;
			%let &L_var._txt = ; 
                        %put XXXXXX&L_Var: # &L_var._txt # &&&L_var._txt # &sk_fg_txt #;
		%end;

    %let L_cnt=%eval(&L_cnt+1);
    %let L_var=%qscan(%quote(&varlist.),&L_cnt.,%str( ));
 %end;
 options nosymbolgen;
	
%mend;

%init_web_parameter(sk_fg); /* sk_fg_txt)    */

and again the log:

SYMBOLGEN:  Macro variable VARLIST resolves to sk_fg
XXXXXXVARLIST: sk_fg
SYMBOLGEN:  Macro variable VARLIST resolves to sk_fg
SYMBOLGEN:  Macro variable L_CNT resolves to 1
SYMBOLGEN:  Macro variable L_VAR resolves to sk_fg
SYMBOLGEN:  Some characters in the above value which were subject to macro quoting have been unquoted for printing.
SYMBOLGEN:  &amp;&amp; resolves to &amp;.
                                                                                          The SAS System

SYMBOLGEN:  Macro variable L_VAR resolves to sk_fg
SYMBOLGEN:  Some characters in the above value which were subject to macro quoting have been unquoted for printing.
SYMBOLGEN:  Macro variable SK_FG_TXT resolves to 
XXXXXXsk_fg: # sk_fg_txt # &amp;sk_fg_txt #  #
SYMBOLGEN:  Macro variable L_CNT resolves to 1
SYMBOLGEN:  Macro variable VARLIST resolves to sk_fg
SYMBOLGEN:  Macro variable L_CNT resolves to 2
SYMBOLGEN:  Macro variable L_VAR resolves to 
SYMBOLGEN:  Some characters in the above value which were subject to macro quoting have been unquoted for printing.

how do I have to reference sk_fg_txt ??????

It oviously contains an empty string (value between the last 2 hashes), but I can't get the value by an indirect reference on the veriable name...

What is my mistake?

thank you very much in advance,

defaz

Re: how to create global variable with suffix in macro

Loko — Tue, 27 Dec 2016 14:46:54 GMT

Hello,

The problem is that you set no value for the macro variable :

%let &L_var._txt = ;

If you replace the statement , for example, with

%let &L_var._txt = some;

you will notice the result is displayed correctly .

Re: how to create global variable with suffix in macro

Patrick — Tue, 27 Dec 2016 22:23:53 GMT

Here some code variations which should work:

%macro init_web_parameter(varlist);
  %do i=1 %to %sysfunc(countw(&varlist));
    %global %qscan(&varlist,&i);
    %put macro var is: &%qscan(&varlist,&i);
  %end;
%mend;

%init_web_parameter(sk_fg sk_fg_txt);
%put &=sk_fg;
%put &=sk_fg_txt;

You could also use parmbuff (example 3 under below link)

http://support.sas.com/documentation/cdl/en/mcrolref/69726/HTML/default/viewer.htm#p1nypovnwon4uyn159rst8pgzqrl.htm

%macro init_web_parameter / parmbuff;
  %do i=1 %to %sysfunc(countw(&SYSPBUFF));
    %global %qscan(&SYSPBUFF,&i);
    %put macro var is: &%qscan(&SYSPBUFF,&i);
  %end;
%mend;

%init_web_parameter(purple red blue teal);

Re: how to create global variable with suffix in macro

defaz — Tue, 27 Dec 2016 22:22:26 GMT

hi Patrick,

I wrote an answer and my real problem while you were editing and changing your first reply...all my writing is in nirvana now...

Anyway, short story:

I can reference my newly created variables without problems:

%init_web_parameter(sk_fg sk_fg_txt);
%put &=sk_fg;
%put &=sk_fg_txt;

this works.

But how do I have to reference EXAMPLE_txt if I have the name "EXAMPLE" in another variable?

%let EXAMPLE_txt=;
%let xxx=EXAMPLE;
%let yyy=&&&xxx._txt;

so yyy contains &EXAMPLE_txt..... (see my second log)

I expected yyy resulting in an empty string.

Where is my mistake?

thank you very much in advance,

defaz

Re: how to create global variable with suffix in macro

Patrick — Wed, 28 Dec 2016 03:15:35 GMT

The code I've posted creates as many macro variables as there are words in the string you pass to the macro. That's what I understood you're after.

"But how do I have to reference EXAMPLE_txt if I have the name "EXAMPLE" in another variable?"

I don't understand your question.

As for your code: You're creating macro variables in a loop but you have already a %put statement in there with fixed names - so that's firstly no more dynamic and 2nd that's why you get a Warning in the log during the first iteration of the macro loop.

For your testing: Make sure that you always create a new SAS session so you don't miss issues due to macro variables already existing from an earlier test.