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DavidPhillips2
Rhodochrosite | Level 12

I am trying to run a where in proc sql clause where a character string is fed into the list.  When I feed the string in it errors out.  Am I using the right structure?

%let sumlev = 'AX', 'AH';

proc sql noprint;

where term ='Fall' and college in (&sumlev);

quit;

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Accepted Solutions
FriedEgg
SAS Employee

This is fine, once you have valid SQL, anyway.

However, given your other post about adding the apostrophes, which used macro quoting, you need to %unquote() the macro variable for it to work correctly:

%let a=%str(%');

%let sex=&a.M&a.,'F';

proc sql;

select * from sashelp.class where sex in (%unquote(&sex.));

quit;

View solution in original post

5 REPLIES 5
FriedEgg
SAS Employee

This is fine, once you have valid SQL, anyway.

However, given your other post about adding the apostrophes, which used macro quoting, you need to %unquote() the macro variable for it to work correctly:

%let a=%str(%');

%let sex=&a.M&a.,'F';

proc sql;

select * from sashelp.class where sex in (%unquote(&sex.));

quit;

DavidPhillips2
Rhodochrosite | Level 12

Thanks for answering my questions about crazy quotes.  I’ve been doing a lot of work with quotes lately and it’s a learning curve.

Ksharp
Super User

Not need to use quote character . For your situation , use symget() would be better;

%let sumlev = AX AH ;

proc sql noprint;

where term ='Fall' and symget(sumlev)  contains strip(college) ;

quit;

FriedEgg
SAS Employee

One minor correction

symget('sumlev')

And yes, this will work and does not require the quoting or delimiting of the list and is viable with the example data (although may not be with your actual data, depending...)

Ksharp
Super User

Opps. Did you see Arthur.T before ?  He didn't appear here for a very long time.

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