EG prompt not working in where= data set option

[Multipla99]

Hi,

I'm quite new to EG and thought I could use generated prompts as I use macro variabels in SAS DMS. This seems however not always work. Can someone please explain why i don't succed with the code below? (I have tested both in EG 7.15 and EG 8.2) 

data prompttest;
set sashelp.class
(where=(&promptselection));
run;

Value of &promptselection: upcase(Name) = 'ALFRED' or upcase(SEX) = 'F' 

From log: ERROR 6-185: Missing ')' parenthesis for data set option list.

&Promptselection is generated with Prompt Manager. 

General tab:

Name = Promptselection,

Options ticked: "Requires a non-blank value" and "Use prompt value throughtout project".

Prompt Type and Values tab:

Prompt type = Text, Method for populating prompt = "User selects value from a static list", Number of values = "Single value",

List of values

Unformatted value	Formattade displayed value	Default
upcase(Name) = 'ALFRED' or upcase(SEX) = 'F'	Alfred + girls	*
upcase(Name) = 'ALFRED'	Alfred

[FreelanceReinh · Accepted solution]

Hi @Multipla99,

Normally I don't use SAS Enterprise Guide, but I've just started a session in order to replicate your issue. The log contains the following %LET statement among other stuff SAS EG likes to add to the user's code:

%LET Promptselection = upcase(Name) = %nrstr(%')ALFRED%nrstr(%') or upcase(SEX) = %nrstr(%')F%nrstr(%');

So, SAS EG also did some (unauthorized) macro quoting and thus replaced the innocuous single quotes in your code with a bizarre triple of control characters: '011102'x. These are, of course, indigestible for the compiler later on, hence the error messages.

Use the %UNQUOTE function to undo the macro quoting:

data prompttest;
set sashelp.class(where=(%unquote(&promptselection)));
run;

[Multipla99]

FreelanceReinhard - I'm so grateful!