CODEWITHSUNDEEP
macrossas
gdogg371
gdogg371

Reputation: 4132

How to mask all characters in this string in SAS

I am parameterising some code by having case when statements as macro variables that are then later injected into another macro. I therefore need to convert the strings into global variables, but am struggling to get everything masked. A simplified version of my code looks like so:

%macro test();

%let x_var = 

case when var = 'Red' then 1
when var = 'Black***' then 2
when var = 'Deep Purple' then 3
else 4
end as var_sort

;

%global var = %nrbquote(&x_reg.);

%mend;

%test;

...however, that is failing to mask everything as I am receiving log errors of the order:

ERROR: Invalid symbolic variable name =.
ERROR: Invalid symbolic variable name =.
ERROR: Invalid symbolic variable name '.
ERROR: Invalid symbolic variable name '.
ERROR: Invalid symbolic variable name 1.

Can anyone advise on a fix, please? I always get confused a bit when trying to mask special characters as to which is the correct method to use.

Thanks

Upvotes: 0

Views: 1914

Answers (1)

Tom
Tom

Reputation: 51611

The %global statement is used to define a macro variable (symbol). If you want to assign it a value then use a %let statement.

%global var ;
%let var = %nrbquote(&x_reg.);

If you want to set var to literally &_rx_reg. then use a data step.

data _null_;
  call symputx('var','&x_reg.','g');
run;

Upvotes: 3

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