Setting which section of SAS code to run with a %LET variable

[brophymj]

I want to set a variable called purpose, e.g.:

%LET PURPOSE = CHANGE ; /* PURPOSE can only take the words CHANGE or PROFIT */

If it is set as CHANGE I want it to skip a bit of code and run a bit of code after it.

If it is set as PROFIT I want it to skip the last bit of code and run the code before it.

How do I do this within the same Sas Program without having it call a separate SAS program using a call function?

[Quentin · Accepted solution]

One way to do such conditional processing  is with a macro:

%macro doit(purpose=);
  %if &purpose=CHANGE %then %do;
    *SAS code here;    
  %end;
  %else %if &purpose=PROFIT %then %do;
    *SAS code here;
  %end;
%mend doit;

Then can call the macro like:

%doit(purpose=CHANGE)

%doit(purpose=PROFIT)

Or if you like having the global macro variable to use as a switch, call like:

%doit(purpose=&purpose)

HTH,

--Q.