libname won't call the macro variable

[ericdrosano]

I am running the following code, but when calling the macro-variable I just created, "dir", libname does not work. As you can see, the "dir" macro-variable is the EXACT same path used to create the library testa, which successfully creates the library.

libname testa 'C:\Users' ;
%let dir = C:\Users;
libname testb '&dir';

libname testc '&dir.';

libname testd ' &dir ';

libname teste ' &dir. ';

Every time I run this code, I get the same 'NOTE: Library TEST_X_ does not exist.' message for each test, i.e., TESTB, TESTC, TESTD, & TESTE. (For brevity, I did not include ALL of those error messages.)

---

159 libname testa 'C:\Users' ;
NOTE: Libref TESTA was successfully assigned as follows:
Engine: V9
Physical Name: C:\Users
160 %let dir = C:\Users;
161 libname testb '&dir';
NOTE: Library TESTB does not exist.

---

Your help is appreciated!

[Tom · Accepted solution]

The macro processor ignores text that is bounded on the outside by single quotes.

Use double quotes instead if you want the macro processor to see the macro variable reference.

libname testa 'C:\Users' ;
%let dir = C:\Users;
libname testb "&dir";

[ericdrosano]

Double quotes versus single quotes... got me crying over here!!!
Thank you mightily!