translate function

[Rohit12]

%let aa="[email protected]"  "[email protected]";

%put &aa;

data new;

zz=translate("&aa","@","$");

run;

NOTE: Line generated by the macro variable "AA".

1    ""[email protected]"  "[email protected]"

     ---

     216

        -----

        388

        76

ERROR 216-185: The use of a BIT string constant is not allowed in this context.

ERROR 388-185: Expecting an arithmetic operator.

ERROR 76-322: Syntax error, statement will be ignored.

72   run;

Question : what does this error mean " The use of a BIT string constant is not allowed in this context."

[RW9]

Your error comes from having quotes in your macro variable:

%let aa="[email protected]"  "[email protected]";

Look at what is generated:

data new;

zz=translate(""[email protected]"  "[email protected]"","@","$");

run;

See the double quotes?

As always, I advise against putting lists of values in macro variables, data should go in datasets - clue is in the name.  And really don't put commas or quotes and things in macro variables at any time.

[Rohit12]

Hello 

Actually values in macro variable  always will be in double quotes . I am working on some code which is working from long time and I cannot chnage that 

Should we have other solution rather than removing double quotes 

Thanks!!

[Shmuel]

You can overcome the quotes problem by using sysmget function:

%let aa="[email protected]"  "[email protected]";

data _null_;
    aa = symget('aa');
    aa = translate(aa,'$','@');
    put aa=;
run;

[Rohit12]

actually I am passing this value [email protected]" "[email protected]" as a postional parameter in the macro so I think I cannot use symget

Anyother way of passing this value

[Shmuel]

You posted next code:

data new;

zz=translate("&aa","@","$");

run;

you need change one line:

data new;

zz=translate(symget("&aa"),"@","$");

run;

By the way, your macro variable &aa contains already @

if you want to translate it into $ you should write:

zz=translate(symget("&aa"),"$","@");