sas macro variables

[HeatherNewton]

Hi I use a init.sas to run a series of program. My question is as follows:

1. For any global macro variables in each individual sas program that runs when init.sas is run, are they gonna be global macro variables for init.sas or it is not any more available once the individual sas program has finished running?

2. For a macro variable exist in init.sas but was not defined there, does it mean it was defined in one of the individual program that runs when init,sas is run

thanks

[AMSAS]

Here's the documentation on Scopes of Macro Variables

There are several unknowns in your questions, it's not as simple as a macro variable being created in init.sas

The short answer is a macro variable exists until you end the SAS session it was created in, assuming it was defined as global. If it was defined as local then it will only exist within the macro it was created in.

[AMSAS]

Here's a simple example:

%let Global_1 = I am Global 1 ;
%macro example ;
	%global global_2 ;
	%let local_1 = I am Local 1 ;
	%let global_2 = I am global 2 ;
	%put local_1 : &local_1 ;
    %put global_1 : &global_1 ;
    %put global_2 : &global_2 ;

%mend ;

%put Running Macro example ;
%example ;

Which generates this log (not I have the option SYMBOLGEN turned on)

62  %let Global_1 = I am Global 1 ;
263  %macro example ;
264      %global global_2 ;
265      %let local_1 = I am Local 1 ;
266      %let global_2 = I am global 2 ;
267      %put local_1 : &local_1 ;
268      %put global_1 : &global_1 ;
269      %put global_2 : &global_2 ;
270
271  %mend ;
272
273  %put Running Macro example ;
Running Macro example
274  %example ;
SYMBOLGEN:  Macro variable LOCAL_1 resolves to I am Local 1
local_1 : I am Local 1
SYMBOLGEN:  Macro variable GLOBAL_1 resolves to I am Global 1
global_1 : I am Global 1
SYMBOLGEN:  Macro variable GLOBAL_2 resolves to I am global 2
global_2 : I am global 2
275
276  %put Printing all macro variables ;
Printing all macro variables
277  %put local_1 : &local_1 ;
WARNING: Apparent symbolic reference LOCAL_1 not resolved.
local_1 : &local_1
278  %put global_1 : &global_1 ;
SYMBOLGEN:  Macro variable GLOBAL_1 resolves to I am Global 1
global_1 : I am Global 1
279  %put global_2 : &global_2 ;
SYMBOLGEN:  Macro variable GLOBAL_2 resolves to I am global 2
global_2 : I am global 2

Notice how local_1 prints a value when the %put is inside the example macro, but fails to resolve where outside.

[Tom]

You probably need to clarify what you are asking about.

GLOBAL macro variables exist until you remove them with %SYMDEL macro statement.

Note that if you have defined any LOCAL macro variable with the same name then an existing GLOBAL macro variable then it will be the most local version of the macro whose value is used when you reference the variable.

What is INIT.SAS?  Is it just some SAS code?  Or does it define or use any macros?

If your code is referencing macro variables that it is not clearly defining then you might have trouble with the code.  At least the humans looking at the code will have trouble understanding what it is going to do.

[Kurt_Bremser]

What is init.sas and what does it do? Also define what "individual program" means.