BookmarkSubscribeRSS Feed
🔒 This topic is solved and locked. Need further help from the community? Please sign in and ask a new question.
robertrao
Quartz | Level 8

Hi Team,

Could you please explain to me the meaning of the following sentence?

"Data step functions work on charecter strings, numeric values and data step variable values. Macro functions are applied to TEXT STINGS THAT NEVER CONTAIN THE VALUES OF DATASTEP VARIABLES"

From: paper 4-25 by Art Carpenter

Regards

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Accepted Solutions
ArtC
Rhodochrosite | Level 12

Art T is correct. Because macro language elements are executed before the Program Data Vector, PDV, has been established, macro functions cannot work with values on the PDV (data step variable values, and such).  The macro language primarily works with text, it is afterall a code generation language.  You can think of text as being keystrokes that may eventually become a part of your program.

View solution in original post

2 REPLIES 2
art297
Opal | Level 21

I really should let Art speak for himself, which I'm sure he will anyhow, but I think he may have been referring to the following fact about macro functions: macro functions operate before the DATA step executes

ArtC
Rhodochrosite | Level 12

Art T is correct. Because macro language elements are executed before the Program Data Vector, PDV, has been established, macro functions cannot work with values on the PDV (data step variable values, and such).  The macro language primarily works with text, it is afterall a code generation language.  You can think of text as being keystrokes that may eventually become a part of your program.

sas-innovate-2024.png

Join us for SAS Innovate April 16-19 at the Aria in Las Vegas. Bring the team and save big with our group pricing for a limited time only.

Pre-conference courses and tutorials are filling up fast and are always a sellout. Register today to reserve your seat.

 

Register now!

How to Concatenate Values

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.

Click image to register for webinarClick image to register for webinar

Classroom Training Available!

Select SAS Training centers are offering in-person courses. View upcoming courses for:

View all other training opportunities.

Discussion stats
  • 2 replies
  • 751 views
  • 3 likes
  • 3 in conversation