Evaluating a macro variable in a condition

[alexgonzalez]

Hi there,

I am creating a macro and the apply a condition. The macro variable is correctly calculated it is not well evaluated in the condition. See below a piece of the code and the log.

*Calculating the ratio E/U2;
data _null_;
set data;
call symputx ('E',a_var_e);
call symputx ('U2',a_var_u2);
run;

%let ratio = %sysevalf(&E/&U2);

%if &ratio > 0.0001 and &ratio <= 10 %then %put NOTE: Ratio in [0,10] ;
%else %put ERROR: Ratio not in [0,10], consider removing extreme observations;

The log.

MLOGIC(ROOT_ESTIMATES): %LET (variable name is RATIO)
SYMBOLGEN: Macro variable E resolves to 0.1937225404
SYMBOLGEN: Macro variable U2 resolves to 0.0813614747
SYMBOLGEN: Macro variable RATIO resolves to 2.3810106824428
SYMBOLGEN: Macro variable RATIO resolves to 2.3810106824428
MLOGIC(ROOT_ESTIMATES): %IF condition &ratio > 0.0001 and &ratio <= 10 is FALSE
MLOGIC(ROOT_ESTIMATES): %PUT ERROR: Ratio not in [0,10], consider removing extreme observations
ERROR: Ratio not in [0,10], consider removing extreme observations

Any idea how to solve this issue?

Thanks a lot.

[PaigeMiller]

%if %sysevalf(&ratio > 0.0001 and &ratio <= 10) %then %put NOTE: Ratio in [0,10] ;

[alexgonzalez]

I didn't try this, but it's very similar to what Tom suggested. I'm assuming it'd work too.

Many thanks,

[Tom · Accepted solution]

You need to keep using %SYSEVALF() if you want to compare floating point values.

%let ratio = %sysevalf(&E/&U2);

%if %sysevalf(&ratio > 0.0001) and %sysevalf(&ratio <= 10) %then %put NOTE: Ratio in [0,10] ;
%else %put ERROR: Ratio not in [0,10], consider removing extreme observations;

[alexgonzalez]

Thanks a lot Tom, it worked :).

[ballardw]

If the only purpose of the test of the value is place a note in the log then do it in the data step.

data _null_;
   set data;
   call symputx ('E',a_var_e);
   call symputx ('U2',a_var_u2);

   if not ( 0.000 1< a_var_e / a_var_u2 le 10) then put " NOTE: Ratio in [0,10] ";

   else put " ERROR: Ratio not in [0,10], consider removing extreme observations";
run;

If you are not using the macro variables E and U2 for anything else then don't create them and just use the PUT in the data _null_.

If you have other uses for the comparison then you would be better off creating a flag or status macro variable with values of 1 or 0 (true/ false) from the ratio.