Concatenation of Quotes and Strings in Macros

[Actuary]

I am attempting to use PROC EXPORT to output many Excel workbooks with the following code:

%let dataset = time_off;
proc export
	data=&dataset
	dbms=xlsx
	outfile="C:\Datasets\R&R\Output\&dataset"
	replace;
run;

Unfortunately, it is necessary for the OUTFILE path to contain an ampersand which generates a warning upon execution.

WARNING: Apparent symbolic reference R not resolved.

I am trying to get around this by building the path using macros to combine quotes and strings.  For example:

%let dataset = time_off;
%let path = C:\Datasets\R&R\Output\&dataset;
proc export
	data=&dataset
	dbms=xlsx
	outfile=&path
	replace;
run;

This generates the following error because, I assume, quotes are missing from the value for OUTFILE. 

24         %let dataset = time_off;
25         %let path = C:\Datasets\R&R\Output\&dataset;
WARNING: Apparent symbolic reference R not resolved.
26         proc export
27         	data=&dataset
28         	dbms=xlsx
NOTE: PROCEDURE EXPORT used (Total process time):
      real time           0.00 seconds
      cpu time            0.00 seconds
      
WARNING: Apparent symbolic reference R not resolved.
NOTE: The SAS System stopped processing this step because of errors.
29         	outfile=&path
30         	replace;
NOTE: Line generated by the macro variable "PATH".
30         C:\Datasets\R&R\Output\time_off
            _
            22
            76
ERROR 22-322: Syntax error, expecting one of the following: ;, DATA, DBLABEL, DBMS, DEBUG, FILE, LABEL, OUTFILE, OUTTABLE, REPLACE, 
              TABLE, _DEBUG_.  

ERROR 76-322: Syntax error, statement will be ignored.

Therefore, I am trying to programmatically build a string using macros and concatenation with the code shown below.

%let dataset = time_off;
%let path = %sysfunc(cat("'",C:\Datasets\R&R\Output\,&dataset,"'"))

This, however, produces these errors:

24         %let dataset = time_off;
25         %let path = %sysfunc(cat("'",C:\Datasets\R&R\Output\,&dataset,"'"));
WARNING: Apparent symbolic reference R not resolved.
WARNING: Apparent symbolic reference R not resolved.
NOTE: Line generated by the macro function "SYSFUNC".
25          "'"C:\Datasets\R&R\Output\time_off"'"
            ___
            49
WARNING: Apparent symbolic reference R not resolved.

NOTE 49-169: The meaning of an identifier after a quoted string might change in a future SAS release.  Inserting white space 
             between a quoted string and the succeeding identifier is recommended.


26         proc export
27         	data=&dataset
28         	dbms=xlsx
NOTE: PROCEDURE EXPORT used (Total process time):
      real time           0.00 seconds
      cpu time            0.00 seconds
      
WARNING: Apparent symbolic reference R not resolved.
NOTE: The SAS System stopped processing this step because of errors.
29         	outfile=&path
30         	replace;
NOTE: Line generated by the macro variable "PATH".
30         "'"C:\Datasets\R&R\Output\time_off"'"
           ___
           49
              _
              22
              76
NOTE 49-169: The meaning of an identifier after a quoted string might change in a future SAS release.  Inserting white space 
             between a quoted string and the succeeding identifier is recommended.
2                                                          The SAS System


ERROR 22-322: Syntax error, expecting one of the following: ;, DATA, DBLABEL, DBMS, DEBUG, FILE, LABEL, OUTFILE, OUTTABLE, REPLACE, 
              TABLE, _DEBUG_.  

ERROR 76-322: Syntax error, statement will be ignored.

31         run;

Ultimately what I am trying to do is build the following string as the argument for OUTFILE:

'C:\Datasets\R&R\Output\time_off'

I would appreciate any assistance that could be provided.

[PaigeMiller]

You want to use the %nrstr() function.

Example:

https://documentation.sas.com/?docsetId=mcrolref&docsetTarget=p0pnc7p9n4h6g5n16g6js048nhfl.htm&docse... (scroll down)

[andreas_lds]

This "problem" only exists, because you are using special chars in a directory name, so the solution is quite simple: don't do that.

[Astounding · Accepted solution]

It might be easier if you build the string in a data step rather than with macro language, such as:

data _null_;
outfile = '''C:\Datasets\R&R\Output\' || "&dataset'";
call symputx('outfile', outfile);run;

The macro variable &OUTFILE should be useful in your existing PROC EXPORT.

[Actuary]

Thank you on two accounts, first for properly interpreting the problem I faced and second for providing this elegant solution.  Well done.

[Kurt_Bremser]

Don't use special symbols in directory names; the ampersand is particularly bad, because it has special meaning (not only in SAS).