You're the best.  A few questions: 1) %sysevalF(not not %index(&f,.)) < what is this going to return? I understand the index function finds the character position of the . in each format argument, but the double not is confusing me.. 2) You use the structure "_&f" < what does this do? 3) Is the %sysevalF function just an alternative to %eval? Thanks for everything, enjoy the holiday! ... View more

This might be asking to much, but the last step asks me to use a format width in the put statement for arguments without a format. So I need to produce the following output with the macro: data_null_ ; set books.list; file "list4.data"; put @1 bookid 4. author 5-34 @35 isbn isbn18. @43 yearpub comma6.; run; with the a macro call of : %writeoutD (books.list,list4.data,bookid author isbn yearpub,4. 30 isbn18. comma6.); I tried changing it to the following: %local newput i newpointer; %do i=1 %to 4; %if &i=1 %then %let newpointer=1; %else %let newpointer=%eval(&newpointer+%sysfunc(scan(&formatlist,%eval(&i-1),%str( $),ap))); %let newput=&newput @&newpointer %sysfunc(scan(&variables,&i,%str( ))) %sysfunc(scan(&formatlist,&i,%str( ))); %if %sysfunc(findc("scan(&formatlist,&i)",'.'))=0 %then %let newput=&newput %sysfunc(scan(&variables,&i,%str( ))) %eval(&newpointer)-%eval(&newpointer+%sysfunc(scan(&formatlist,&i,%str( $),ap))+1); %end; but it was a no-go, not sure if its in the wrong spot or something...any ideas? ... View more

Thank you so much, works perfectly! Oddly enough I think you made a mistake typing: %eval(&i-1),$str( $),ap))); I'm guessing it should be: %eval(&i-1),%str( $),ap))); but, it works both ways... ... View more

Made the change..now I'm getting the following errors: WARNING: Apparent symbolic reference NEWPUT not resolved. ERROR: The text expression &NEWPUT @1 BOOKID:  4. contains a recursive        reference to the macro variable NEWPUT.  The macro variable will be        assigned the null value. WARNING: Apparent symbolic reference SYSFUNC not resolved. WARNING: Apparent symbolic reference SYSFUNC not resolved. ERROR: A character operand was found in the %EVAL function or %IF condition        where a numeric operand is required. The condition was:        1+&sysfunc(scan(4. $30. isbn18. comma6.,1,' $',ap)) ... View more

I tried this: /*Part 9*/ %macro writeoutC (dataset,datafile,variables,formatlist); %do i=1 %to 4; %if &i=1 %then %let newpointer=1; %else %let newpointer=%eval(&newpointer+&sysfunc(scan(&formatlist,%eval(&i-1),' $',ap))); %let newput=&newput @&newpointer %sysfunc(scan(&variables,&i,' ')): %sysfunc(scan(&formatlist,&i,' ')); %end; data _null_; set &dataset; file "&datafile"; put @1 &newput; run; %mend writeoutC; /*Part 10*/ %writeoutC (books.list,list2.txt,bookid author isbn yearpub,4. $30. isbn18. comma6.); And again, I'm trying to exactly produce the following: data_null_ ; set books.list; file "list3.data"; put @1 bookid 4. @5 author $30. @35 isbn isbn18. @43 yearpub comma6.; run; But I'm getting the following errors: WARNING: Apparent symbolic reference NEWPOINTER not resolved. WARNING: Apparent symbolic reference SYSFUNC not resolved. WARNING: Apparent symbolic reference NEWPOINTER not resolved. WARNING: Apparent symbolic reference SYSFUNC not resolved. ERROR: A character operand was found in the %EVAL function or %IF condition        where a numeric operand is required. The condition was:        &newpointer+&sysfunc(scan(4. $30. isbn18. comma6.,0,' $',ap)) ERROR: The macro WRITEOUTC will stop executing. 71        ... View more

I appreciate all these creative responses, but I really need to write a macro that produces exactly what is shown at the beginning and none of you have addressed the biggest problem I'm having which is getting the column pointer value to work.  Since I posted I've gotten really close, but I'm getting an extra column pointer value after the last variable/format that I don't want...any ideas? /*Part 9*/ %macro writeoutC (dataset,datafile,variables,formatlist); %let newput= ; %let newpointer=1; %do i=1 %to 4; %let newpointer=&newpointer+%sysfunc(scan(&formatlist,&i,' $',ap)); %let newput=&newput %sysfunc(scan(&variables,&i,' ')):%sysfunc(scan(&formatlist,&i,' ')) @%eval(&newpointer); %end; data _null_; set &dataset; file "&datafile"; put @1 &newput;  run; %mend writeoutC; /*Part 10*/ %writeoutC (books.list,list2.txt,bookid author isbn yearpub,4. $30. isbn18. comma6.); ... View more