Using a macro variable containing special character build with "into :" keyword

[arjunascagnetto]

data import;
	infile datalines;
	input id "var-1"n $ "var'g"n $ "var % of"n;
datalines;
1 d e 23
2 f g 34
3 g k 45
;;;;


proc contents data=import noprint varnum out=varlist ;

proc sql noprint;
	select name into :mylist separated by ' ' from varlist where type = 2;

proc freq data=import;
	tables &mylist.;
run;

The question is easy. How can i make this code works ? The problems are the special character inside the mylist macro variable.

thanks.

[snoopy369 · Accepted solution]

You can use the NLITERAL function here.  I also simplify by using DICTIONARY.COLUMNS, but you can do the same in the PROC CONTENTS output.

proc sql;
	select nliteral(name)
      into :mylist separated by ' ' 
      from dictionary.columns
      where  memname='IMPORT' and type='char'
	;
quit;

[SASKiwi]

Why make life hard for yourself by defining variable names containing special characters? If there is no real business need for them then it is a lot easier just to use "standard" variable names. Remember you can define labels for SAS variables that contain special characters if they are required for reporting.

[arjunascagnetto]

of course this is a simplificatin of a real problem OF COURSE!

[SASKiwi]

Perhaps if you explained the real problem, we could offer advice on that.