%let & symget

[rawindar]

Hi all,

      Can anybody help me to clarify my doubt if possible with example.

      1. Can we use %let statement in datastep.

       2.Can we use symget function in macros.

Thanks&Regards

Rawindarreddy

[Linlin]

Hi,

Please see Tom's explanation in this discussion:

https://communities.sas.com/message/119344#119344

[Astounding]

Question 1:  In general, %LET will not appear within a DATA step unless the logic is faulty.  As Tom mentioned, if you want the DATA step to assign a value to a macro variable, use CALL SYMPUT or CALL SYMPUTX.  There might be obscure applications where you want a DATA step to execute %LET.  You can make that happen, but it is beyond what most people would ever want to do.  For example, this statement could appear within a DATA step:

if amount > 500 then call execute('%let color=Blue;');

When macro statements appear within CALL EXECUTE, they execute immediately.  Given the questions you started out asking, though, I suspect that such an obscure application is not what you are looking for.

Question 2:  SYMGET is a DATA step statement.  Since a macro definition can include DATA steps, those DATA steps can include SYMGET.

If you have an example of what you are trying to accomplish, I'm sure you'll receive plenty of suggestions.

Good luck.