macro does not read next text

[ikeum]

Hi all,

here is my script below:

%let list=;

%macro fix(suffix);

proc sql noprint;
select name into :vars separated by ' '
from dictionary.columns
where upcase(libname)=upcase('work')
and upcase(memname)=upcase('RN_LIST')
and index(name,upcase("&suffix")) ge 1;
quit;

%let list=&list &vars;

%put &list;

%mend fix;

%fix('2019');
%fix('2018');
%fix('2017');

I am trying to take variables from the past 3 years.

however it keeps duplicating '2019'

could someone please help to fix it?

[Astounding]

It looks like you have been fiddling around with the problem.

That might explain the results.

The calls to the macro should not use quotes:

%fix (2019)
%fix (2018)
%fix (2017)

[yabwon]

Hi @ikeum ,

One thing to remember, which may make your macroprogramming easier, macro code operate on texts and treats _everything_ as text so no quotes are needed. In your case when you are passing >>'2019'<< SAS uses all 6 characters: apostrophe, two, zero, one, nine, and apostrophe as macrovariable's value. Do it as @Astounding pointed out, >>2019<<.

All the best

Bart

[Kurt_Bremser]

Just to add to what the others already found: you do not need upcase() on libname and memname. These columns are always uppercase in the dictionary tables. But you should use upcase on name

and index(upcase(name),upcase("&suffix")) ge 1

as column names in SAS can be partially or completely lowercase.