how to pass a parameter with macro variables into macro

[ttxq]

Hi all,

I got a problem. I want to create a sas macro and the parameters are also macro variables, so how can I pass these macro variables into macro?

Thanks.

for example:

%let a=c1,c2,c3,c4,c5;

%let b=d1,d2,d3,d4,d5;

%macro input(data1,data2);

  ... &data1;(I want to use a here)

  ... &data2;(I want to use b here)

%mend;

%input(?,?); (what should I fill in here)

[Reeza]

Do you need to pass them in? They exist and you can use them in the macro as shown.

[ttxq]

yes, I want to know how to pass them into the Macro.

Thanks for your replying.

[Reeza]

Ok, add two extra parameters to your macro and then pass the two variable lists.

You'll need to mask the commas or use a different separator. I think using a different separator is easier but if you want comma's for some reason, you can mask them using the techniques here:

http://support.sas.com/kb/31/012.html

[data_null__ · Accepted solution]

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@ttxq wrote:

yes, I want to know how to pass them into the Macro.

Thanks for your replying.

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Pass the names not the value.  Then you don't have to worry about quoting in the macro call.  Also you can't name a macro %INPUT.

26         %let a=c1,c2,c3,c4,c5;
27         %let b=d1,d2,d3,d4,d5;
28         %macro xinput(data1,data2);
29            %put NOTE: &&&data1 &&&data2;
30            %mend;
31         %xinput(a,b);
NOTE: c1,c2,c3,c4,c5 d1,d2,d3,d4,d5

[ttxq]

It works. Thank you so much.

[ballardw]

Placing commas inside a variable is often a poor idea. If you intend to use it as a macro parameter it will fail because the macro variable resolves with the commas and then each value after a comma is treated as a another parameter. Generally this results in the number of parameters passed not matching the macro definition.

%let a=c1,c2,c3,c4,c5;

What kind of macro are you building that requires the commas?

And this may help

%let a = c1 c2 c3 c4;
%let ab = %sysfunc(translate(&a,',',' '));

%put &ab;

if you place exactly one space between elements.

Or learn to use the macro quoting functions.

[ttxq]

I create the macro that is used in proc sql select statement. so I need the comma. I'll try your method. Thank you for replying.