topic Re: Errors in a macro in SAS Enterprise Guide

Errors in a macro

Feksan — Wed, 02 Dec 2020 03:05:50 GMT

I am looking to create a macro that could show me statistics for new cases when I enter in the month and the country but it doesn't work.

data mylib_d3.covid_data;
run;

%MACRO proc_univariate_means_print(data,var1);

title ---Résumé statistiques_1---;
PROC UNIVARIATE data=&data;
CLASS &mois &pays
VAR &var1 ;
RUN;

title ---Résumé statistiques_2---;
PROC MEANS data=&data mean min max;
VAR &var1;
BY &mois &pays
RUN;

title --- Afficher les observations ---;
PROC PRINT data=&data;
VAR &var1;
RUN;
%MEND;
%LET mylist=nouveaux_cas mois pays
%proc_univariate_means_print(mylib_d3.covid_data, &mylist);

Re: Errors in a macro

mkeintz — Wed, 02 Dec 2020 03:24:46 GMT

@Feksan wrote:

I am looking to create a macro that could show me statistics for new cases when I enter in the month and the country but it doesn't work.

data mylib_d3.covid_data;
run;
....

If your program really does start with:

data mylib_d3.covid_data;
run;

then you will have overwritten mylib_d3.covid_data with an empty data set. I believe your log will say:

NOTE: The data set MYLIB_D3.COVID_DATA has 1 observations and 0 variables.

Even if the syntax of the rest of your code is correct, you will see no data reports.

More generally

but it doesn't work.

provides us with no information to diagnose or prescribe. Please show the log, tell us what you expected to see, and what you did see.

Help us help you.

Re: Errors in a macro

Kurt_Bremser — Wed, 02 Dec 2020 07:31:34 GMT

Congratulations, with this step

data mylib_d3.covid_data;
run;

you have successfully destroyed your source data. The dataset will now contain 1 observation and 0 variables.

Re: Errors in a macro

Astounding — Wed, 02 Dec 2020 12:58:24 GMT

In addition to destroying your data, this program contains basic syntax errors.

A BY statement must end with a semicolon.

A CLASS statement must end with a semicolon.

A good rule of thumb is to get your program working without macros first, and then try to convert it to a macro. It's too difficult for a beginner to debug if you have to figure out whether your error comes from SAS language or macro language.

Re: Errors in a macro

PaigeMiller — Wed, 02 Dec 2020 13:05:36 GMT

@Astounding wrote:

A good rule of thumb is to get your program working without macros first, and then try to convert it to a macro. It's too difficult for a beginner to debug if you have to figure out whether your error comes from SAS language or macro language.

This is so important, I am going to repeat it.

"A good rule of thumb is to get your program working without macros first, and then try to convert it to a macro. It's too difficult for a beginner to debug if you have to figure out whether your error comes from SAS language or macro language."

If you can't get the code to work without macros and without macro variables, then it will never work when you use macros and macro variables.