Compare the SAS version and set a Global Macro variable

[sathishthangamani]

Hi,

We are upgrading our SAS version from SAS 9.04.01.M3 to 9.04.01.M5. With the new Version EMAIL statement need pgm=SMTP coded to make the email work via CSSMTP.

I was trying to compare the version with the statement but not working properly.

Current SAS VERSION from SASVLONG IS 9.04.01M3P062415

Upgraded SAS VERSION FROM SASVLONG IS 9.04.01M5P091317

%PUT SAS VERSION IS &SYSVLONG ;              
%GLOBAL EMAILPGM ;                           
%MACRO EMAIL_PGM_CHECKER;                    
%If &SYSVLONG >= '9.04.01M5AAAAAAA' %THEN  
      %LET EMAILPGM=PGM=SMTP ;               
%MEND;                                       
%EMAIL_PGM_CHECKER ;                         
%PUT EMAIL_PGM IS &EMAILPGM ;                

With above statement  even on current version 9.04.01M3 is also assigning the macro variable EMAILPGM=PGM=SMTP.

Please Advise how can i compare the version and assign the variable EMAILPGM with PGM=SMTP for latest version.

[ballardw]

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@sathishthangamani wrote:

Hi,

We are upgrading our SAS version from SAS 9.04.01.M3 to 9.04.01.M5. With the new Version EMAIL statement need pgm=SMTP coded to make the email work via CSSMTP.

I was trying to compare the version with the statement but not working properly.

Current SAS VERSION from SASVLONG IS 9.04.01M3P062415

Upgraded SAS VERSION FROM SASVLONG IS 9.04.01M5P091317

%PUT SAS VERSION IS &SYSVLONG ;              
%GLOBAL EMAILPGM ;                           
%MACRO EMAIL_PGM_CHECKER;                    
%If &SYSVLONG >= '9.04.01M5AAAAAAA' %THEN  
      %LET EMAILPGM=PGM=SMTP ;               
%MEND;                                       
%EMAIL_PGM_CHECKER ;                         
%PUT EMAIL_PGM IS &EMAILPGM ;                

With above statement  even on current version 9.04.01M3 is also assigning the macro variable EMAILPGM=PGM=SMTP.

Please Advise how can i compare the version and assign the variable EMAILPGM with PGM=SMTP for latest version.

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> and < are seldom going to work as desired. And when you place unneeded characters it gets worse. The comparison you wrote compares the 9 in &syslong to the quote mark provided in '9.04.01M5AAAAAAA'  so remove the quotes and see if you get expected behavior.

[Tom · Accepted solution]

You are comparing a string that starts with the digit 9 to a string that starts with a single quote.

As the test below indicates digits appear after the single quote in ASCII collating sequence.

155   %if 9 > %str(%') %then %do;
156     %put 9 is larger than single quote;
9 is larger than single quote
157   %end;
158   %else %do;
159     %put 9 is NOT larger than single quote;
160   %end;

Perhaps you meant:

%If &SYSVLONG >= 9.04.01M5

But you will have issues if SAS comes out with a version 10 or a version 9.10 since both are less than 9.04 in ASCII collating sequence.

%if (%scan(&sysver,1,.) > 9) or (&sysver=9.04 and &sysvlong >= 9.04.01M5) %then %do;
...
%end;

[sathishthangamani]

Thank you so much Tom. This looks to be simple but have saved a lot of time of mine. Appreciated!