Run the whole code on the base of condition

[AJ_Brien]

Hello,

I have a huge piece of code which contains multiple data steps, macros, proc sqls, loops etc. such that this entire piece of code needs to run only if a certain condition is met.

data _null_;
now=today();
d=day(now);
put d;
if d in (30,31,1,2,3,4) then call symput ('run','N');
else call symput ('run','Y');
run;
%put &run.;

%macro selection;
[entire code: data steps, macros, proc sqls, loops etc. ]
%mend;

data _null_;
%if &run.='Y' %then %do;
%selection;
end;

This is the error that I get:

975 data _null_;
976 %if &run.='Y' %then %do;
ERROR: Nesting of %IF statements in open code is not supported. %IF ignored.
ERROR: Skipping to next %END statement.
977 %selection;
MLOGIC(SELECTION): Beginning execution.

Would there be a way to conditionally execute a huge piece of code?

Appreciate the help!

[Reeza]

Separate your steps. Put all the code that needs to be run in a separate program.
Create your condition and only execute it if the condition was met. You can use %INCLUDE to run a program.

data _null_;
now=today();
d=day(now);
put d;
if d in (30,31,1,2,3,4) then call execute ('%include "path to  sas program.sas" / lrecl=500');
run;

The program with the data set becomes your control program that executes the remaining code if necessary. 

You can make this more convoluted if you'd like, look at macro logic:

UCLA introductory tutorial on macro variables and macros

https://stats.idre.ucla.edu/sas/seminars/sas-macros-introduction/

Tutorial on converting a working program to a macro

This method is pretty robust and helps prevent errors and makes it much easier to debug your code. Obviously biased, because I wrote it 🙂 https://github.com/statgeek/SAS-Tutorials/blob/master/Turning%20a%20program%20into%20a%20macro.md

Examples of common macro usage

https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Communities-Library/SAS-9-4-Macro-Language-Reference-Has-a-New-Ap...

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@AJ_Brien wrote:

Hello,

I have a huge piece of code which contains multiple data steps, macros, proc sqls, loops etc. such that this entire piece of code needs to run only if a certain condition is met.

data _null_;
now=today();
d=day(now);
put d;
if d in (30,31,1,2,3,4) then call symput ('run','N');
else call symput ('run','Y');
run;
%put &run.;

%macro selection;
[entire code: data steps, macros, proc sqls, loops etc. ]
%mend;

data _null_;
%if &run.='Y' %then %do;
%selection;
end;

This is the error that I get:

975 data _null_;
976 %if &run.='Y' %then %do;
ERROR: Nesting of %IF statements in open code is not supported. %IF ignored.
ERROR: Skipping to next %END statement.
977 %selection;
MLOGIC(SELECTION): Beginning execution.

Would there be a way to conditionally execute a huge piece of code?

Appreciate the help!

---

[SASKiwi · Accepted solution]

You don't need macro. Put your required code in a separate SAS program file then use %INCLUDE:

data _null_;
  if <condition is true> then do;
   call execute('%include "MyLargeProgram.sas";');
  end;
run;

[PaigeMiller]

976 %if &run.='Y' %then %do;

Typically, the value of macro variables are not enclosed in quotes, and the way you are creating the macro variable &RUN via CALL SYMPUT, the value created for macro variable &RUN is Y (or N), which is not enclosed in quotes. Thus you are testing to see if the one-letter text string Y (the value of &RUN) is equal to the hard coded text string 'Y', and these are never equal.

Thus, you want

%if &run.=Y %then %do;

Also:

ERROR: Nesting of %IF statements in open code is not supported. %IF ignored.

You need to do this inside a macro or via CALL EXECUTE.

[AJ_Brien]

Thank you, moving to a seperate location worked 🙂

[PaigeMiller]

---

@AJ_Brien wrote:

Thank you, moving to a seperate location worked 🙂

---

I'm not sure anyone recommended "moving to a seperate location", so it's not clear what you are saying.