Macro - %IF/%INDEX logic not working

[knveraraju91]

Dear,

Please suggest why the macro 'want' is not executing. I need to output data set 'two'.  Thank you

data one;
input a $10.;
datalines;
aaaa+bbbbb
cccc+ddddd
;

%global treat1 treat2;
proc sql noprint;
    select strip(put(count (distinct a), best.)) into: cnt from one;
 select distinct a into :treat1 -:treat&cnt. from one
 order by a;
quit;

%put &treat1.;

%macro want;
%if %index(&treat1.,'+')>0 %then %do;
data two;
set one;
run;
%end;
%mend;
%want;

data set

[hashman]

@knveraraju91:

Get rid of the single quotes around the +, i.e. instead of '+', code:

%if %index (&treat1, +) > 0 %then %do ;

The macro language is character-based and understands tokens literally - i.e., if you code '+', that is what the %index function will be looking for, replete with the quotes; and there're no quotes in your &treat1 value. And, while at that, get rid of the superfluous period after &treat1 - as Ian Whitlock repeatedly stated, it's a bad habit to code a period after a dereferenced macro variable "just in case" without the exact reason why it must be used - i.e. to avoid macro resolution ambiguity or include a period in the macro-generated text. It leads to nothing but confusion.

Kind regards

Paul D.