create table/datset table using a macro variable.

[aparnaraju21150]

Hi All,

I am trying to create a table out of a macro variable which is having about 100 values,seperated by comma delimeter.

eg: %let _num = '10000,20000,30000....';

I tried the below piece of code:

%let _ctrlnum = '1000,2000,3000';
%LOCAL I;
DATA TEMP;
LENGTH CNTRLNUM $8.;
%do i=1 %to %sysfunc(countw(&_ctrlnum));
CNTRLNUM = "%scan(&_ctrlnum, &i)";
output;
%end;
run;
%mend generate;
%generate (CNTRLNUM = &_ctrlnum);

I am getting the following error:

ERROR: All positional parameters must precede keyword parameters.

NOTE: Line generated by the macro variable "_CTRLNUM".

84 1000,2000,3000

____

18

ERROR 180-322: Statement is not valid or it is used out of proper order.

Please suggest a new method or help me with this piece of code.

Thanks in advance.

[Shmuel]

A macro program should look like:

%macro <macro_name> (positional_argument(s) , named_argument= );

    macro code, program code

%mend <macro_name>;

You either did not post all your code or miss the %macro statement.

Arguments to macro execution (%<macro_name> statement) should be written:

 all positional arguments first in same order as defined in %macro statement then

 named arguments in any order.

Therefore your next code line failed 

%generate (CNTRLNUM = &_ctrlnum);

[aparnaraju21150]

Hi Shmuel,

sorry, I didn't post the " %macro generate(CNTRLNUM=);"

The issue is the values in sas variable is being used from a front end for which the values may vary each time. So, I am not able to give the values in the code.

Can you please suggest any other way to create the table?

Thank You.

[Shmuel]

---

@aparnaraju21150 wrote:

Hi Shmuel,

sorry, I didn't post the " %macro generate(CNTRLNUM=);"

The issue is the values in sas variable is being used from a front end for which the values may vary each time. So, I am not able to give the values in the code.

Can you please suggest any other way to create the table?

Thank You.

---

According to error message:

ERROR: All positional parameters must precede keyword parameters.
           ===================================

there are some positional arguments defined before the cntrlnum= (named argument = keywors parameter),

i.e.

%macro generate( ? , ...?... ,CNTRLNUM=);

Check again the %macro line statement.

[PeterClemmensen]

Hi and welcome to the SAS Community 🙂

You don't need a macro to do this

%let _ctrlnum = '1000,2000,3000';

data temp(drop=i);
    length CNTRLNUM $8.;
    do i=1 to countw(&_ctrlnum.);
        CNTRLNUM=scan(&_ctrlnum., i, ',', '');
        output;
    end;
run;