Getting the value of a macro variable

[SASdevAnneMarie]

Hello experts,

I'm struggling to get a value from the macro variable with %eval function:

%macro test2;

data test;
k=1;
l=.;
call symputx('k',k);
call symputx('l',l);
run;

%if %eval(&l.)=. %then %do;
%put "TEST MACRO";
%end;
%mend;

%test2;

The error is: ERROR: A character operand was found in the %EVAL function or %IF condition where a numeric operand is required. The condition was:
.
ERROR: The macro TEST2 will stop executing.

In fact, I would like to execute the code conditionally (in the case of empty value of numeric macro variable).

Thank you very much for your help! 

Best regards,

Marie

[ballardw · Accepted solution]

%eval is for integer arithmetic or evaluating comparisons (which return integer values). And Macro value of . is not an integer.

So you get that error.

To see if the value of l is . use this code. WARNING: if you change the system option of missing from the default this will behave differently.

%macro test2;

data test;
k=1;
l=.;
call symputx('k',k);
call symputx('l',l);
run;

%if &l.=. %then %do;  /* or %if  %eval(&l. = .) %then %do; */
%put "TEST MACRO";
%end;
%mend;

%test2;

You might describe how you intend to use this in a bit more detail as missing values and macro variables can be a bit tricky.

[SASdevAnneMarie]

Thank you very much!
Does it work if I test &l.^=. (case of non-empty value)?

[Tom]

---

@SASdevAnneMarie wrote:
Thank you very much!
Does it work if I test &l.^=. (case of non-empty value)?

---

Why not just try it and see?  Set the macro variable and then evaluate your test. 1 is TRUE and 0 is FALSE.

854   %let x=.;
855   %put %eval(&x=.);
1
856   %put %eval(&x=);
0

857   %let x=;
858   %put %eval(&x=.);
0
859   %put %eval(&x=);
1

860   %let x=0;
861   %put %eval(&x=.);
0
862   %put %eval(&x=);
0

863   %let x=text;
864   %put %eval(&x=.);
0
865   %put %eval(&x=);
0

[jimbarbour]

I took a slightly different approach from @Tom. I'm not sure that it's necessarily better, but perhaps it will be of value in some circumstances.  It's a little macro that will detect character or numeric missing values in a macro variable including special missing values.  The MISSING option should matter less, at least that's the idea.

Here's the macro:

%MACRO	Test_For_Missing(Var, Debug=NO)	/	MINOPERATOR	MINDELIMITER=',';
	%LOCAL	lCmnt;

	%IF	%QUPCASE(&Debug)	=	YES										%THEN
		%DO;
			%LET	lCmnt	=	;
			%PUT	NOTE:  Debug is on in &Sysmacroname;
			%PUT	NOTE-  &Var is >&&&Var<;
		%END;
	%ELSE
		%DO;
			%LET	lCmnt	=	;
		%END;

	%IF	%BQUOTE(&&&Var)		=	%BQUOTE()								%THEN
		%DO;
			%PUT	NOTE:  &Var is missing.  Value is >&&&Var<;
		%END;
	%ELSE
	%IF	(%QUPCASE(&&&Var)	IN	(._,.,%STR(),%STR( ),.A,.B,.C,.D,.E,
								.F,.G,.H,.I,.J,.K,.L,.M,.N,.O,.P,
								.Q,.R,.S,.T,.U,.V,.W,.X,.Y,.Z))			%THEN
		%DO;
			%PUT	NOTE:  &Var is missing.  Value is >&&&Var<;
		%END;
	%ELSE
		%DO;
			%PUT	NOTE:  &Var is NOT missing.  Value is >&&&Var<;
		%END;
%MEND	Test_For_Missing;

And here's some test code:

%LET	Char_Missing	=	;
%LET	Num_Missing		=	.;
%LET	Spcl_Missing	=	.E;
%LET	Char_Var		=	Ham Sandwich;
%LET	Num_Var			=	07292020;

%LET	Save_Options	=	%SYSFUNC(GETOPTION(SOURCE)) %SYSFUNC(GETOPTION(SOURCE2)) PS=%SYSFUNC(GETOPTION(PS)) ;
OPTIONS	NOSOURCE	NOSOURCE2	PS=MAX;
%Test_For_Missing(Char_Missing, Debug=NO);
%Test_For_Missing(Num_Missing, Debug=NO);
%Test_For_Missing(Spcl_Missing, Debug=NO);
%Test_For_Missing(Char_Var, Debug=NO);
%Test_For_Missing(Num_Var, Debug=NO);
OPTIONS	&Save_Options;

Which yields the following:

NOTE:  Char_Missing is missing.  Value is ><
NOTE:  Num_Missing is missing.  Value is >.<
NOTE:  Spcl_Missing is missing.  Value is >.E<
NOTE:  Char_Var is NOT missing.  Value is >Ham Sandwich<
NOTE:  Num_Var is NOT missing.  Value is >07292020<

I hope that is of some use.

Jim

[SASdevAnneMarie]

Thank you very much!
I understood the problem:)

Best regards,
Marie