Alternatively it could be done in a single data step without using a macro, something like this : data _null_; FILE "C:\Users\KMarino\Dropbox\Dissertation\Data Generation\For Dissertation\SAS Control Files\flexMIRTsim.BATRUN.csv"; DO ss='300', '1000', '5000'; DO cl='10', '60', '100', '150';   DO it='10', '20', '50', '70';    DO BV='0.053', '0.11', '0.25', '0.43', '1.00';     DO it='10', '20', '50', '70';      Do rep=1 to 250;       string= compress('C:\Users\KMarino\' !! ss !! '_' !! cl !! '_' !! bv !! '_' !! it !! '_' !! put(rep, 3.) !! '.flexMIRT', ' ');        PUT  @1 string;      end;     end;    end;   end; end; end; run; ... View more

The link given for the ACOS function leads to the documentation for SAS's version of the C language. ... View more

Could you post your log, please?  When I run your code, I get 5 observations on the table and the wrong high value. Code: data Emp_Payroll; input employee_ID Name $ Salary; datalines; 1          A                        20000 2          B                        30475 3          C                        26895 4          D                        87975 5          E                        42545 ; run; data salary;      set Emp_Payroll end=final;      call symputx('highsal',employee_id,salary);      call symputx('empid',employee_id);      if salary>symget('highsal');      if final then do;           call symputx('highsal',salary);      end; run; %put &highsal. &empid.; Log: 25         data salary; 26              set Emp_Payroll end=final; 27              call symputx('highsal',employee_id,salary); 28              call symputx('empid',employee_id); 29              if salary>symget('highsal'); 30              if final then do; 31                   call symputx('highsal',salary); 32              end; 33         run; NOTE: Numeric values have been converted to character values at the places given by: (Line):(Column).       27:41   NOTE: Character values have been converted to numeric values at the places given by: (Line):(Column).       29:16   NOTE: There were 5 observations read from the data set WORK.EMP_PAYROLL. NOTE: The data set WORK.SALARY has 5 observations and 3 variables. NOTE: DATA statement used (Total process time):       real time           0.09 seconds       cpu time            0.03 seconds       34         %put &highsal. &empid.; 42545 5 ... View more

Sounds as though your missing semi-colon was on the comment line.  Remember if you begin a line with an asterisk, not only is that line a comment, so is everything between the asterisk and the next semi-colon that SAS finds, even if it's several lines later. ... View more

Well caught, Tom. Viewing the snippet of the log in a monospace font makes it easier to understand where the error is. ... View more