BookmarkSubscribeRSS Feed
🔒 This topic is solved and locked. Need further help from the community? Please sign in and ask a new question.
daszlosek
Quartz | Level 8

Hello,

 

I wanted to make a macro variable that is the maximum date of the variable (datevar) in my dataset (mydata). Something along the lines of the following:

 

%let max_dt = max(work.mydata.datevar);

 

 

Any recommendation would be much appreciated.

 

Best,

 

daszlosek

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Accepted Solutions
Tom
Super User Tom
Super User

Use PROC SQL to find the max and put it into the macro variable.

Depending on how you use it might want to format the value in different ways.

This should get a number that you can use to compare to other DATE variables.

proc sql noprint;
select max(datevar)
  into :max_dt trimmed
  from mydata
;
quit;

Or you could use something like this to get a string that you could use building a filename or title statement.

select max(datevar) format=yymmddn8.
  into :max_dt
  from mydata
;

Or you could generate the value in the form of a date literal.

select cats(quote(put(max(datevar),date9.)),'d')
  into :max_dt
  from mydata
;

 

View solution in original post

2 REPLIES 2
Tom
Super User Tom
Super User

Use PROC SQL to find the max and put it into the macro variable.

Depending on how you use it might want to format the value in different ways.

This should get a number that you can use to compare to other DATE variables.

proc sql noprint;
select max(datevar)
  into :max_dt trimmed
  from mydata
;
quit;

Or you could use something like this to get a string that you could use building a filename or title statement.

select max(datevar) format=yymmddn8.
  into :max_dt
  from mydata
;

Or you could generate the value in the form of a date literal.

select cats(quote(put(max(datevar),date9.)),'d')
  into :max_dt
  from mydata
;

 

daszlosek
Quartz | Level 8

Worked like a charm! Have never used colons before.

 

Thank you!

SAS Innovate 2025: Save the Date

 SAS Innovate 2025 is scheduled for May 6-9 in Orlando, FL. Sign up to be first to learn about the agenda and registration!

Save the date!

How to Concatenate Values

Learn how use the CAT functions in SAS to join values from multiple variables into a single value.

Find more tutorials on the SAS Users YouTube channel.

SAS Training: Just a Click Away

 Ready to level-up your skills? Choose your own adventure.

Browse our catalog!

Discussion stats
  • 2 replies
  • 16414 views
  • 2 likes
  • 2 in conversation