Macro Variable

[petlove]

Hi,

I am trying to create macro variable which will have string as below:

"%varexist(sdtmcro.&dsn,var1) and %varexist(sdtmcro.&dsn,var2)"

: %varexist is macro in my directory which finds if variable exist in specified dataset. Var1 and var2 are present in another macro varibale "&variables" macro variable.

e.g. %put &variables= &dsn.var1, &dsn.var2;

In order to get above mentioned string, I am creating variable varcond like below for each variables and then concatenating them together :

data _temp_;
%do i =1 %to %sysfunc(countw(&variables.));
%let var=%scan(&variables.,&i);
varcond= "%"||"varexist(sdtmcro.&dsn,&var)";
output;
%end;
domain="&dsn";
run;

proc sort data=_temp_;
by domain ;
run;

data _temp_;
length varcondn $500.;
do until(last.domain );
set _temp_;
by domain ;
condn=catx(' and ',cond,varcond);
end;
run;

proc sql;
select condn into : condition
from _temp_;
quit;

%put &condition;

&condition gets resolved string "1 and 1" instead of "%varexist(sdtmcro.&dsn,var1) and %varexist(sdtmcro.&dsn,var2)".

Can anyone suggest me solution on not resolve macro %varexist in macro variable &condition?

[PaigeMiller]

Re-run your code, but first issue the command

options mprint;

Then, show us the SASLOG so we can see the error.

[petlove]

There is no error in log. 

I am expecting to get &condition resolved to 

"%varexist(sdtmcro.&dsn,var1) and %varexist(sdtmcro.&dsn,var2)"

But, it is getting resolved to :  "1 and 1" 

Thank you.

[PaigeMiller]

How can we possibly help, if you won't show us the SASLOG, and we don't have the code to see what %varexist does?

Run the code again, turn on these options

options mprint symbolgen mlogic;

and show us the SASLOG.

[petlove]

Here is the log file

[PaigeMiller]

There no %varexist macro anywhere in your log. And what is the %varcond macro shown in the log? Whatever this is, it doesn't relate to your original question. 

Also, turn on the options as the first line of your program. 

[Astounding]

The %PUT statement causes the macro calls to %VAREXIST to execute.  Try either of these instead:

%put %superq(condition);

%put _user_;   /* this might give you a bit more than what you want to see */

[Tom]

If you want to see the macro variables contents without the macro processor evaluating the macro calls then you need to use macro quoting to prevent it.

Try:

%put %superq(condition);

Or look at it using normal SAS code.

data _null_;
  condition=symget('condition');
  put condition=;
run;

[petlove]

Thank you Tom for your response.

I tried first option you provided. Now, I see "%varexist(sdtmcro.&dsn,var1) and %varexist(sdtmcro.&dsn,var2)" in log or in program where I recall it.

I am having one more trouble.

In my other program, I am calling this %varcond in %if condition as follow:

%if %varcond(&dsn) %then %do;

proc sort data=sdtmcro.&dsn out=&dsn;
by usubjid ;
run;

%end;

But, I get following error:

ERROR: Required operator not found in expression: %varcond(&dsn)
MLOGIC(VARCOND): %PUT %superq(varcondn)
WARNING: Apparent symbolic reference VARCONDN not resolved.

I expect to run do loop by checking this condition:

%if %varcond %then %do= %if %varexist(sdtmcro.&dsn,var1) and %varexist(sdtmcro.&dsn,var2) %then %do

Please let me know what would resolve this problem.

[Tom]

In my other program, I am calling this %varcond in %if condition as follow:

%if %varcond(&dsn) %then %do;

proc sort data=sdtmcro.&dsn out=&dsn;
by usubjid ;
run;

%end;

But, I get following error:

ERROR: Required operator not found in expression: %varcond(&dsn)
MLOGIC(VARCOND): %PUT %superq(varcondn)
WARNING: Apparent symbolic reference VARCONDN not resolved.

Looks like you have a bug in the macro %VARCOND(). 

The error message says that you are referencing a macro variable named VARCONDN that has not been defined. 

Perhaps it is just a typo?  Is there perhaps a macro variable named VARCOND and you accidentally added an extra N in the %superq() macro function call?

[petlove]

Thank you Tom. I made respective changes in my program.

When I recall macro in following way, there is no error.

%varcond(LB);

MLOGIC(VARCOND): %PUT %superq(varcond)
%varexist(sdtmcro.LB,LBSTRESC) and %varexist(sdtmcro.LB,LBDRVFL)

However, when I write it in %if condition, I still see this error where "%PUT %superq(varcond)" is blank:

%if %varcond(LB) %then %do;

proc sort data=sdtmcro.&dsn out=&dsn;
by usubjid ;
run;

%end;

LOG:

SYMBOLGEN: Macro variable DSN resolves to LB
ERROR: Required operator not found in expression: %varcond(&dsn)
MLOGIC(VARCOND): %PUT %superq(varcond)

Thank you.

[Tom]

Possibly because of a missing semi-colon?

That could cause the %PUT statement to be waiting for the closing semi-colon so that the %SUPERQ() function does not actually run until after the macro has finished executing?

[petlove]

You are saying semicolon after "%superq(varcond)" this right?

I did put it still shows same error.

[ChrisNZ]

Like this?

data _temp_;
domain="&dsn";
%do i =1 %to %sysfunc(countw(&variables.));
%let var=%scan(&variables.,&i);
varcond= "%"||"varexist(sdtmcro.&dsn,&var)";
output;
%end;
run;
 
data _TEMP2_;
  length CONDN $500;
  retain CONDN;
  set _TEMP_;
  CONDN=catx(' and ',CONDN, VARCOND);
  call symputx('condition', CONDN);
run;

%put => %superq(condition);

=> %varexist(sdtmcro.&dsn,&var) and %varexist(sdtmcro.&dsn,&var)

 You don't need by group processing in your example as variable DOMAIN is a constant;

[petlove]

Thank you Chris.

In my other program, I am calling this %varcond in %if condition as follow:

%if %varcond(&dsn) %then %do;

proc sort data=sdtmcro.&dsn out=&dsn;
by usubjid ;
run;

%end;

But, I get following error:

ERROR: Required operator not found in expression: %varcond(&dsn)
MLOGIC(VARCOND): %PUT %superq(varcondn)
 

I expect to run do loop by checking this condition:

%if %varcond %then %do should be equal to  %if %varexist(sdtmcro.&dsn,var1) and %varexist(sdtmcro.&dsn,var2) %then %do

When I recall macro in following way, there is no error.

%varcond(LB);

MLOGIC(VARCOND): %PUT %superq(varcond)
%varexist(sdtmcro.LB,LBSTRESC) and %varexist(sdtmcro.LB,LBDRVFL)

However, when I write it in %if condition, I still see this error where "%PUT %superq(varcond)" is blank:

%if %varcond(LB) %then %do;

proc sort data=sdtmcro.&dsn out=&dsn;
by usubjid ;
run;

%end;

LOG:

SYMBOLGEN: Macro variable DSN resolves to LB
ERROR: Required operator not found in expression: %varcond(&dsn)
MLOGIC(VARCOND): %PUT %superq(varcond);