%If &&&M&I = 0 %then %GOTO out?

[ybz12003]

Hello:

Could someone explain the macro statement below?   Thanks.

%If &&M&I = 0 %then %GOTO out;

statement;

%out: %end;

[Astounding · Accepted solution]

The result depends on the value of the macro variable &i.  When &i is 1, the program examines the macro variable &M1 to see if it is zero.  When &i is 2, the program examines the macro variable &M2 to see if it is zero.  Etc.

When a zero is found, the program skips over the statement(s) in the middle.

[ChrisNZ]

Run this to help you make sense of the logic.

Here the value of i=1, so &&m&i becomes &m1, and the value of m1 is 0.

option symbolgen nomlogic;

%macro test;
  %let i =1;
  %let m1=0;

  %put Print this line;

  %if &&m&i = 0 %then %goto out;

  %put This line is skipped;;

  %out:
 
  %put This is the end;

%mend;

%test