proc lua - submit macro variable with period (bug or feature?)

[AllanBowe]

I tried running the following code today:

%let mapping_table=work.config;
proc lua restart;
submit "mapping_table=&mapping_table" ;
  print(mapping_table)
endsubmit;
run;

Which resulted in:

ERROR: SUBMIT block:1: attempt to index global 'work' (a nil value)

Removing the period (.) resolves the issue.

Is this a bug?  Or a feature?  

SYSVLONG=9.04.01M3P062415

[rhale · Accepted solution]

Try using single quotes around the macro variable in the SUBMIT statement:

%let mapping_table=work.config;
proc lua restart;
submit "mapping_table='&mapping_table'" ;
  print(mapping_table)
endsubmit;
run;

[AllanBowe]

The bug was in my brain.. Of course, when creating a lua variable, it needs a type - so strings must be quoted (else they will be interpreted as a variable name)

[sspkmnd]

Another (more reliable) approach is to use sas.symput function:

%let mapping_table=work.config;
proc lua restart;
submit;
  mapping_table = sas.symget('mapping_table')
  print(mapping_table)
endsubmit;
run;

[AllanBowe]

indeed - this approach will handle nested quotes, and long values, unlike the `submit` approach. Thanks!