MACRO

[R_A_G_]

hello,

What is the difference in ending the macro TYPE1 Vs. TYPE2.
Thanks

TYPE1:
%macro tryit;
*%let dattype=ae;
%let dattype=demog;
*%let dattype=meds;
***********************;
%put data type is &dattype;
%mend tryit;
%tryit

TYPE2:
%macro tryit;
*%let dattype=ae;
%let dattype=demog;
*%let dattype=meds;
***********************;
%put data type is &dattype;
%mend;
%tryit;

[SusieQ324]

Syntax-wise, I think you'll need to state the macro name in TYPE2 on your %mend statement. But other than that, invoking the macro is the same.

[Cynthia_sas]

Hi:
As the documentation says
http://support.sas.com/documentation/cdl/en/mcrolref/61885/HTML/default/viewer.htm#a000206958.htm
-- repeating the macro name is not required, but is very useful for clarity, especially when a job might have more than 1 definition for a macro program inside.

cynthia

[R_A_G_]

thanks for always helping

[RickM]

You don't really need the macro name in the %mend statement. It just helps you keep track of which macro you just ended. There is no difference between the two types.

[chang_y_chung_hotmail_com]

In case you are asking if we should invoke a macro with or without a trailing semi-colon:

   %macro test;

      %let dattype=demog;

      %put data type is &dattype;

   %mend test;

   %*-- type1 --*;

   %test

   %*-- type2 --*;

   %test;

It depends. A macro invocation does not require a semi-colon, but anything that can signal the end of the invocation. Thus if your macro generates a complete statement including the statement ending semi-colon, then the type 2 style invocation results in an extra semi-colon. This is often OK, though, if the extra semi-colon, in the context, can be considered as a null statement and is ignored.