problems of define a macro variable

[rpg163]

I try to use a macro variable "num" like this,

proc sql;

     select max(num) into :num
     from dsn2;

quit;

data asd2;

     set asd;

     array a _COL3-_COL#

     arrat b COL3-COL#

     do i= 1 to dim(&num);

     b(i)=input(a(i),best12.);

run;

well, it doesn't work, but if I do this, It seems works

proc sql;

     select max(num) into :num
     from dsn2;

quit;

*******;

%let numb=#

data asd2;

     set asd;

     array a _COL3-_COL&numb;

     arrat b COL3-COL&numb;

     do i= 1 to dim(&numb);

     b(i)=input(a(i),best12.);

run;

I don't why.

Anyone can pls tell me? THX!

[polingjw · Accepted solution]

%LET eliminates any leading and trailing blanks.

[rpg163]

so you mean when using

proc sql;

     select max(num) into :num
     from dsn2;

quit;

"num" actually contains blanks?

[polingjw]

Try this and you will see:

%put col#

%let num=#

%put col#

[rpg163]

You are right!!

THX!!!

[Tom]

You also have a syntax error in your interative DO statement.  Either pass the name of the array to the DIM() function or just use the macro variable as the upper bound on the array.

do i= 1 to dim(A);

do i= 1 to #

[polingjw]

There were a couple of other errors in the original post (DO without END and ARRAY misspelled "arrat").  I suspect that rpg163 might have the same problem that I do with these forums - not being able to paste code into the editor.

[Ksharp]

You can use Ctrl + c    and   Ctrl + v    to bring your code into the forum.

Another workaround is using macro function to trim these blanks.

%let num=%trim(%left(&num));

Ksharp

[rpg163]

THX! I will try this.

[rpg163]

You are right.

I missed sth. here.