macro name in datafile does not resolve correctly

[acordes]

I always struggle with the macro quoting etc. 

It's impossible for me to understand its behavior. 

If I use the path without macro concatenation, it works, but using whatever macro construct (single or double quote) it fails. 

%let sess=mysession;
%let caslib=risknoba;
%let table=Assessment data for SAS training diario;
%let ext=xlsx;
%let path=/caslibs/risknoba/;
%let ally="&path.&table..&ext";
cas &sess;
libname caslib cas sessref=&sess;

%put "&path.&table..&ext";
%put &ally;

proc import datafile= &ally.
/* proc import datafile= '&path.&table..&ext' */
/* proc import datafile="/caslibs/risknb/Assessment data for SAS training diario.xlsx" */
out=work.test    
dbms=xlsx    
replace;    
getnames=no;
sheet="Hoja1";
range='B1:D33';
run;

the log info:

1 %studio_hide_wrapper;
82 %let sess=mysession;
83 %let caslib=risknoba;
84 %let table=Assessment data for SAS training diario;
85 %let ext=xlsx;
86 %let path=/caslibs/risknoba/;
87 %let ally="&path.&table..&ext";
88 cas &sess;
WARNING: A session with the name MYSESSION already exists.
89 libname caslib cas sessref=&sess;
NOTE: Libref CASLIB was successfully assigned as follows:
Engine: CAS
Physical Name: xxxxxxx
90
91 %put "&path.&table..&ext";
"/caslibs/risknoba/Assessment data for SAS training diario.xlsx"
92 %put &ally;
"/caslibs/risknoba/Assessment data for SAS training diario.xlsx"
93
94 proc import datafile= &ally.
95 /* proc import datafile= '&path.&table..&ext' */
96 /* proc import datafile="/caslibs/risknb/Assessment data for SAS training diario.xlsx" */
97 out=work.test
98 dbms=xlsx
99 replace;
100 getnames=no;
101 sheet="Hoja1";
102 range='B1:D33';
103 run;
ERROR: Physical file does not exist, /caslibs/risknoba//Assessment data for SAS training diario.
NOTE: The SAS System stopped processing this step because of errors.
NOTE: PROCEDURE IMPORT used (Total process time):
real time 0.00 seconds
cpu time 0.01 seconds

104
105 %studio_hide_wrapper;
116
117

[FreelanceReinh · Accepted solution]

Hello @acordes,

---

@acordes wrote:

92 %put &ally;
"/caslibs/risknoba/Assessment data for SAS training diario.xlsx"
93
94 proc import datafile= &ally.
95 /* proc import datafile= '&path.&table..&ext' */
96 /* proc import datafile="/caslibs/risknb/Assessment data for SAS training diario.xlsx" */

---

Just to rule out a trivial reason: The name of the directory is really risknoba, not risknb?

[acordes]

OMG

Shame on me 🤣

[ballardw]

---

@acordes wrote:

OMG

Shame on me 🤣

---

Next bit: Macro variable references do not resolve inside single quotes. So this

95 /* proc import datafile= '&path.&table..&ext' */

to actually use the macro variables would have to be

 proc import datafile= "&path.&table..&ext"