SAS Training

Macro

Used to reduce the amount of code entered to perform common tasks

Used for tasks that are repeated in number of programs or number of different places within a
program.

It is used to automatically generate

SAS statements and commands
write messages to the SAS log
Accept input
Create and change the values of macro variables

Macro facility has two components

1. Macro Processor A part of SAS system does the Macro processing
2. Macro Language Syntax that communicates to Macro Processor

Two delimiters trigger macro processor activity:

&name - macro variable.

Replacing Text Strings Using Macro Variables
The form &name is called a macro variable reference.

%name - refers to a macro

Generating SAS Code Using Macros
The form %name is called a macro call

The text substitution produced by the macro processor is completed before the program text is
compiled and executed

Macro language elements can only trigger text substitution and are not present during program
or command execution

Defining Macro

A SAS program can contain any number of macros

can invoke a macro any number of times in a single program

Should always start with a %macro statement and end with a %mend statement

Syntax
%MACRO macro-name;
macro definition
%MEND macro-name;
where,

macro-name is the name of the macro. Each macro should have a distinct name, which is subject
to the standard SAS naming conventions.

Macro definition can be any valid SAS step

Example

%MACRO print;
PROC PRINT DATA = ipl.bowlers;
RUN;
%MEND;

Defining a macro called print for printing the data set bowlers.

Calling a Macro

%name - refers to a macro

The form %name is called a macro call.

Syntax

%macro-name;
where,

macro-name is the name of the macro, which is to be called.

Example :- %print;

%print will call the previously defined macro and print the dataset candy.

Example
%print;

Obs

name

category

Bhatia

BW

Vettori

BW

Maharoof

BW

Geeves

BW

McGrath

BW

Passing Information into a Macro Using Parameters

Macro parameters are local macro variables whose values are specified while invoking the
macro

Macro variables defined in parentheses in %MACRO statement

Enable to pass information into a macro

Two types

Positional Parameters

Keyword Parameters

Syntax
%macro macro-name(var1 ,var2,.varn );
macro definition
%mend macro-name;

where,

var1, var2 - macro variables stores the values of the parameters passed.Refer to a macro
variable as &name in the macro definition. The form &name is called a macro variable reference.

Keyword Parameters

names one or more macro parameters followed by equal signs

can specify default values after the equal signs or specify the macro variable name followed by
an equal sign and the value in the macro invocation

Syntax
%macro macro-name (var1 = [val1] ,var2 = ,.varn = );
macro definition
%mend macro-name;

where,

var1, var2 - macro parameters for holding the values passed.

val1 is the default value to be stored in the parameter, to be used if no value is passed

Example
%macro players(match=1, innings=);
proc print data=ipl.players noobs;
var name type;
where match=&match and innings=&innings;
title The names of the players for match &match and innings &innings;
run;
The names of the players for match 1 and innings 1
%mend players;

%players(innings=1);

name

category

Gambhir

BT

Dhawan

BT

The names of the players for match 2 and innings 1

%players(innings=1,match=2);

name

category

Karthik

BT

Positional Parameters

Names one or more macro parameters whose values will be specified while macro invocation

Specify the values in the same order its defined in the macro definition

If no value is specified while invocation, null value will be taken

Syntax
%macro macro-name (var1,var2 ,.varn );
macro definition
%mend macro-name;

where,

var1, var2 - macro parameters for holding the values passed.

Example
%macro players(plname,cat);
proc print data=ipl.players noobs;
where name=&plname and category=&cat;
tilte "&plname is a &cat";
run;
%mend players;
%players("Bhatia,"BW");

name

category

Bhatia

BW

Macro Variables

Are tools that enable you to dynamically modify the text in a SAS program through symbolic
substitution

Can assign large or small amounts of text to macro variables

Maximum length of 65,534 characters

Are independent of SAS data set variables

Use the variable by referencing it with an ampersand preceding its name (&variable-name),
anywhere in a SAS program

Macro variable references that are enclosed in single quotation marks are not resolved

Classified into two based on the scope of the variable

Global Macro Variable

Local Macro Variable

Can create a macro variable by using a let statement

Using a let statement inside a macro definition creates a local macro variable

Using a let statement outside a macro definition creates a global macro variable

Syntax
%let <variable-name> = <variable- value>;
where,

<variable-name> is a name for the macro variable, satisfying SAS rules

<variable-value> is the value to be assigned to the macro variable

Example:
%let playername = Tendulkar ;
%let sum = (100 + 400) ;

Global Macro Variables

Exist till the duration of the SAS session

Can be used within or outside a Macro

Created during anytime of the SAS session

Can assign a value using a let statement later

Syntax
%gobal <variable-name>;

where,

<variable-name> is a name for the macro variable, satisfying SAS rules

Example: %global playername;

Local Macro Variables

Can be declared within the sas macro using let statement or using the keyword local

Exists till the execution of that macro in which the variable is created.

It can be accessed/changed within the creation of macro.

Syntax
%local <variable-name>;
where,
<variable-name> is a name for the macro variable, satisfying SAS rules

Example
%local player;

Defining Arithmetic and Logical Expressions

can use arithmetic and logical expressions in specific macro functions and statements

Macro Language Elements that Evaluate Arithmetic and Logical Expressions

%DOmacro-variable=expression %TO expression<%BY expression>;

%DO %UNTIL(expression);

%DO %WHILE(expression);

%EVAL (expression);

%IF expression %THEN statement;

%SCAN(argument,expression,<delimiters>)

%SUBSTR(argument,expression<,expression>)

%SYSEVALF(expression,conversion-type)

Example
%let a=%eval(1+2);
%let b=%eval(10*3);
%let a=%sysevalf(10.0*3.0);
%let b=%sysevalf(10.5+20.8);
%let address=123 maple avenue;
%let frstword=%scan(&address,1);
%let lincoln=Four score and seven;
%let secondwd=%substr(&lincoln,6,5);

Example
%macro whatstep(info=,mydata=);
%if &info=print %then
%do;
proc print data=&mydata;
run;
%end;
%else %if &info=report %then
%do;
proc report data=&mydata nowd;
column name category;
title "DLF IPL 2008";
run;
%end;
%mend whatstep;

%whatstep (info=report, mydata=player)

SYMPUT Routine

Assigns a value produced in a DATA step to a macro variable

Syntax
CALL SYMPUT(macro-variable, value);
where,

macro-variable can be a character string that is a SAS name, enclosed in quotation marks or
name of a character variable whose values are SAS names

data team1;
input position : $8. player : $12.;
call symput(position,player);
datalines;
shortstp Ann
pitcher Tom
frstbase Bill
;

Example
%let sr_cit = no;
data senior;
set census;
if age > 65 then
do;
call symput ("sr_cit", yes);
output;
end;
run;

data team1;
input position : $8. player : $12.;
call symput(position,player);
datalines;
shortstp Ann
pitcher Tom
frstbase Bill
;
run;

Automatic Macro Variable

Macro processor creates automatic macro variables that supply information related to the SAS
session when SAS is invoked

Use %PUT _AUTOMATIC_ to view all available automatic macro variables

Example
SYSDAY
SYSDATE
SYSMACRONAME

User-Defined Macro Variable

Macro variables created by the user

Use %PUT _USER_ to view all available user-defined macro variables

Example
%let city = Bangalore;
%let player = Tendulkar;
%let sum = %eval(100 + 400);

City, player and sum are macro variables

Displaying Macro Variable Values

Use the %PUT statement to display macro variable values

Values will be displayed in log window

Syntax
%put &macro-variable;

Example
%put &player;
%put &sum;

Including external macros

Macros can be stored in external file can be used again

%include c:\files\name.sas;
%players
%players (print=0)