Date:         Tue, 11 Nov 2003 10:40:34 +0100
Reply-To:     "Groeneveld, Jim" <jim.groeneveld@VITATRON.COM>
Sender:       "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         "Groeneveld, Jim" <jim.groeneveld@VITATRON.COM>
Subject:      Re: A Macro Problem (ref.: SUGI Paper 100-27)
Comments: To: A Druga <antoniamarija@NET.HR>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Hi A Druga,

It depends how you use, how you call the macro. If you just call it from within a data step that will generate the error as you just would generate the statement «1;» which on itself is illegal of course. You should instead code something like: «Existing = %exists(temp1e);»

Regards = Jim.
--
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Jim Groeneveld, MSc.
Biostatistician
Science Team
Vitatron B.V.
Meander 1051
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Tel: +31/0 26 376 7365
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Jim.Groeneveld@Vitatron.com
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My computer has the solutions, I have the problems.

[common disclaimer]


-----Original Message-----
From: A Druga [mailto:antoniamarija@NET.HR]
Sent: Tuesday, November 11, 2003 10:15
To: SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: A Macro Problem (ref.: SUGI Paper 100-27)


Hi out there!

I found this little Macro in SUGI Paper 100-27 (Carpenter).

%macro exists(dsn);
        %sysfunc(exist(&dsn));
%mend exists;

As one can see it is very simple and it's task is easy to understand.

I'm quite new to SAS and now I'm getting following log messages which
I don't know to interpret:

5285   %exists(temp1e);
MLOGIC(EXISTS):  Beginning execution.
MLOGIC(EXISTS):  Parameter DSN has value temp1e
SYMBOLGEN:  Macro variable DSN resolves to temp1e
NOTE: Line generated by the macro function "SYSFUNC".
1       1
        -
        180
MPRINT(EXISTS):   1;

ERROR 180-322: Statement is not valid or it is used out of proper
order.

MLOGIC(EXISTS):  Ending execution.

The Dataset exists, the macro resolves to the right value and give the
right output but there is some error which I don't know to eliminate.
Any hints what I'm doing wrong?

Thank You in advance.