topic Re: Generate template SAS code with comments in SAS Procedures

Generate template SAS code with comments

hypermonkey2 — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 15:55:45 GMT

Hi all,

I've been writing several SAS programs recently using similar formatting (e.g my name/project name in comment at the beginning, filename variables etc). I was wondering if there is a neat way to write a "SAS template generator" program/macro that could take a username\project name\date\whatever else, and generate a new SAS program file that includes a standard header in comments with this information.

It would be convenient to only have to enter it once, because this information appears several times in each program.

Thanks in advance for any light on this!

Re: Generate template SAS code with comments

Ksharp — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 01:41:47 GMT

Making a macro is a good choice .

Re: Generate template SAS code with comments

hypermonkey2 — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 16:31:38 GMT

I forgot to mention that I am familiar with macros, I was looking for the best way using that. I think that using the FILE command along with a series of PUT statements could work.

Re: Generate template SAS code with comments

data_null__ — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 16:56:31 GMT

I think it depends on how good your meta data is. If you have useful info that can drive the report then a data step can easily write report.

REPORT="SAS program template"

Re: Generate template SAS code with comments

Tom — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 00:10:59 GMT

One useful trick is to use the RESOLVE function.

Build a text file with the template and put macro variable references (or even macro calls as long as the macro just generate text).

Then use a data step to read the template, resolve the macro variable references and write the new program.

template.sas

/%str(*)-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Program: &program

Project: &project

Title: &title

Author: &author

Initial Date: &sysdate

------------------------------------------------------------------------------%str(*)/

%let project=XYZ;

%let program=main.sas ;

%let title = Main SAS program for Project &project;

%let author=A. Programmer ;

data _null_;

infile 'template.sas' lrecl=300 truncover;

file "&program" lrecl=300;

input line $char300.;

line = resolve(trim(line));

len = length(line);

put line $varying300. len ;

run;

main.sas

/*-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Program: main.sas

Project: XYZ

Title: Main SAS program for Project XYZ

Author: A. Programmer

Initial Date: 17DEC12

------------------------------------------------------------------------------*/

Re: Generate template SAS code with comments

hypermonkey2 — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 16:43:22 GMT

Very useful! Was not aware of Resolve. Thanks!