Date:         Wed, 6 Jul 2005 17:43:16 -0700
Reply-To:     Rob_W <weyrauch_r@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         Rob_W <weyrauch_r@YAHOO.COM>
Organization: http://groups.google.com
Subject:      Passing a dynamic variable to a macro
Comments: To: sas-l@uga.edu
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

I am having trouble passing the value of a variable to a macro.  It
almost works, but I can't think of what else to try...

I am trying to:
1. Build a directory string based on values in a Sas dataset:
     eg: H:\SAS\Dataset\(value from variable in table here)

2. Pass the value of the string built in step 1 to a macro

3. The macro then creates the directory if it does not already exist.

The code I have works perfectly if I pass a quoted string as the
parameter, but fails if I try to pass a variable holding the necessary
value.  Here is the code.  The WORK.SQLGOODFILES is a SAS dataset that
has a SAS DateTime field named [OperationsDate]:

The log shows:

NOTE: Line generated by the macro variable "MYFILERF".
1        "md "SasDsDir

Instead of:
md H:\SAS\etc. etc.

Any ideas?

====================================================
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%macro FindOrCreateFile(myfilerf) ;

        ******************************************************************************;
        * Capture what the current option settings are, before changing
them.             ;
        ******************************************************************************;
        %local option_XSYNC ;
        %local option_NOXWAIT ;

        %let option_XSYNC       = %sysfunc( getoption( XSYNC, keyword ) );
        %let option_NOXWAIT = %sysfunc( getoption( XWAIT, keyword ) );

        ******************************************************************************;
        *Set options as necessary for current macro                                                                       ;
        ******************************************************************************;
        *XSYNC forces SAS to wait until the file is created;
        *NOXWAIT prevents the user from having to type "exit" at the dos
prompt;

        OPTIONS NOXWAIT XSYNC;

        ******************************************************************************;
        * Begin actual macro.                                                                                                             ;
        ******************************************************************************;

        if %sysfunc(fileexist(&myfilerf)) then
                do ;
                        *File exists.  Write message to log;
                        put '*-* Directory already existed -> ' &myfilerf. ' *-*';
                end ;

        else
                do ;
                        *Use the make directory command (md) in dos to create new directory;
                        x "md "&myfilerf. ;
                        put '*-* Created directory -> ' &myfilerf. ' *-*';
                end ;

        ******************************************************************************;
        * Restore original option settings.                                                                                       ;
        ******************************************************************************;

        OPTIONS &option_NOXWAIT &option_XSYNC ;

%mend FindOrCreateFile ;



***************;
*TESTING SAMPLE;
***************;

data _null_ ;

        set WORK.SQLGOODFILES;

        *This works;
        %let myName = "H:\SAS\2005-05\DataSets" ;
        put 'myName->' &myName;
        %FindOrCreateFile(&myName) ;


        *This does not;
        SasDsDir = "H:\SAS\" || put(OperationsDate,YYMMD7.) || "\DataSets" ;
        put 'SasDsDir->' SasDsDir;
        %FindOrCreateFile(SasDsDir) ;

run ;

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