Help on performing a data step in a Macro

[uMich]

Hi there,

I have encountered two problems I was hoping to get your help on.

First, I have to perform similar datasteps on 4 datasets, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 so I have set up a macro to save me from making 4 copies. However my counting variable ‘yr’ is placed in the middle of the datasets names that is 2008 is dubbed ‘full_2008_bin’ and 2009 is ‘full_2009_bin’. How can I get the macro to accept that? (without changing the name of the original dataset).

Second, I have to read in 10 variables is it possible to make a list say something like xvar = ( var1, var2….) and then simply reference xvar later on?

My code:

%macro COR;
%do yr = 2008 %to 2011;

      DATA cor_w1_&yr
SET cor.full_&yr_bin (keep var1 var2 … var10);

%END;
%MEND;
%COR;
RUN;

Cheers,
JD

[SASKiwi · Accepted solution]

Try something like this:

%let keeplist = var1 - var10;

%macro COR (keeplist =);
%do yr = 2008 %to 2011;

      DATA cor_w1_&yr
SET cor.full_&yr._bin (keep &keeplist);

RUN;

%END;
%MEND;
%COR(keeplist = &keeplist);

[uMich]

That did the trick,

cheers bro.