On local symbol tables

[Syntas_error]

I know that same named variables can be present in both the global and local symbol tables with different values,  but can same named macro variables be present in two or more local symbol tables concurrently, having different values? 

[Astounding · Accepted solution]

Absolutely.  Here's a test:

%macro a (var=5);

   %put _user_;

%mend;

%macro b (var=10);

   %a

%mend b;

%b ()

[Tom]

Absolutely.

When running SAS will return the result from the "inner most" scope.  Think of macro scope like nesting dolls.

If the macro variable MVAR1 exist as GLOBAL (or some outer scope) but your macro (or some intervening macro scope) also has a local macro variable named MVAR1 then that outer version is hidden. 

If you really need know what the value in that outer scope is you could use this utility macro.

https://github.com/sasutils/macros/blob/master/symget.sas

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