Here I have an example of using CALL EXECUTE. I wonder why the second code does not work when I omit the concatenation oeprator.
data test;
input a $;
cards;
1
2
3
;
data _null_;
set test end=last;
call execute('proc print data=sashelp.class (obs='||a||'); run;');
run;
data test;
input a $;
cards;
1
2
3
;
data _null_;
set test end=last;
call execute('proc print data=sashelp.class (obs='a'); run;');
run;
The call execute function requires a string to be passed to it as its only parameter. This
'proc print data=sashelp.class (obs='a'); run;'
is not a string, it is two strings:
'proc print data=sashelp.class (obs='
'); run;'
and something undefined.
Function form:
call execute(<string>);
By using the concatenate symbols you are creating one string out of the two given strings and the value held in the variable a.
One other thing, as a string in the dataset is given a length of 8 (as you didn't define it!) you may want to use cats:
data _null_; set test end=last; call execute(cats('proc print data=sashelp.class (obs=',a,'); run;')); run;
This should remove any blanks around a.
This message:
ERROR 253-185: The EXECUTE subroutine call has too many arguments.
provides the answer.
CALL EXECUTE expects ONE argument of type character. You are supplying three: a string constant, a variable of type character, and another string constant.
Because it isn't valid SAS code. The string isn't being created, there's no default concatenation.
The call execute function requires a string to be passed to it as its only parameter. This
'proc print data=sashelp.class (obs='a'); run;'
is not a string, it is two strings:
'proc print data=sashelp.class (obs='
'); run;'
and something undefined.
Function form:
call execute(<string>);
By using the concatenate symbols you are creating one string out of the two given strings and the value held in the variable a.
One other thing, as a string in the dataset is given a length of 8 (as you didn't define it!) you may want to use cats:
data _null_; set test end=last; call execute(cats('proc print data=sashelp.class (obs=',a,'); run;')); run;
This should remove any blanks around a.
Thank you, all. I was assuming I was creating a string by enclosing variable a in quotation marks.
Don't miss out on SAS Innovate - Register now for the FREE Livestream!
Can't make it to Vegas? No problem! Watch our general sessions LIVE or on-demand starting April 17th. Hear from SAS execs, best-selling author Adam Grant, Hot Ones host Sean Evans, top tech journalist Kara Swisher, AI expert Cassie Kozyrkov, and the mind-blowing dance crew iLuminate! Plus, get access to over 20 breakout sessions.
Learn how use the CAT functions in SAS to join values from multiple variables into a single value.
Find more tutorials on the SAS Users YouTube channel.