Date: Tue, 29 Aug 2006 09:45:53 -0500
Reply-To: SAS_learner <proccontents@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From: SAS_learner <proccontents@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Tip of the day: SAS Abbreviations (was Re: macros)
In-Reply-To: <200608230802.k7N5NWjX014686@mailgw.cc.uga.edu>
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Hello Aurther,
I did follow this topic little bit , I think every body agreed upon using %,
but there is something I do not know is how much of difference it between
writing a regular piece of code and put it inside a %macro and %mend and
compile code , my knowledge is very little on macro's .
What I am thinking is something like this , If I write a code like this
%macro test(ds= );
data &ds;
set &ds;
if xxxx = '123' then xxxx= '234' ;
else xxxx = 'no number' ;
run;
%mend;
to
%macro test(ds= );
data &ds;
set &ds;
%if xxxx = '123' %then xxxx= '234' ;
%else xxxx = 'no number' ;
run;
%mend;
I am sure this has been discussed earlier under a different topic which I do
not know
On 8/23/06, Arthur Tabachneck <art297@netscape.net> wrote:
>
> Visouni,
>
> Not meaning to disagree with what everyone else has said, but there really
> is a way to we avoid writing % so many times for a macro if condition.
> And, more, the method can also be used to help one remember all of the
> intricacies of various SAS procs so that you always aren't forced to pull
> up the SAS documentaion, as well as to store stylized code (like a
> specialized comment block with lots of asterisks, etc.).
>
> 1. From the SAS menu click on Tools->Add Abbreviation
>
> 2. Then type in the desired abbreviation: for example, mif
> to represent macro if
>
> 3. Then in the box where it says "Text to insert for abbreviation" type in
> the characters which you are trying to avoid entering. For example:
>
> %if x eq y %then %do;
>
> %end;
> %else %then %do;
>
> %end;
>
>
> 4. Then click on "OK"
>
> After that, whenever you type mif a box will appear showing that it is an
> abbreviation. And, if you then enter the tab key while the box is
> showing, the entire text related to that abbreviation will appear in your
> program.
>
> HTH,
> Art
>
> P.S. Too bad that Chris chose the dark side to describe Macros, I tend to
> associate them more with "the force." Besides, Darth Macro (In)Vader has
> already claimed the dark side for other nice, powerfull SAS features.
> ----------------
> ChrisW75 <9Squirrels@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
> Once you've got the hang of base SAS and have really got into the nuts
> and bolts and people start asking you to do complex tasks, you'll start
> to open up to the wonders of the SAS Macro language.
> It's pretty damned simple, and oh so very powerful.
>
> Kind of like the Dark Side.
>
> Yes, strike out with your anger, feel how powerful the darkside is.
>
> But seriously, start with little baby steps and build up, and you'll
> realise how great it is, the % signs just help you to distinguish
> between macro code and regular SAS code. I just wrote a program using
> Base SAS and Macro. I wrote it first in Base, and it took 1 input
> file, and split out one group of records and wrote them out into 2
> files. I then pulled out the parameters, wrote some code to generate
> macro variables, put a loop around the output code, and within half an
> hour I had a program which wrote out 94 separate Excel spreadsheets
> from 1 input file.
>
> The whole program is less than 300 lines, and that's nicely formatted
> code with blank lines and comments and stuff. Try doing that in Base
> SAS and you'd be there all week typing it out, and then you'd end up
> with a program that'll only work on that specific data, rather than a
> dynamic program which takes it's cues from the data it reads in.
>
> As Yoda said "Learn to love the % sign you will when a great programmer
> you become. Shorten your programs it can, new avenues it will open".
>
>
> visouni@gmail.com wrote:
> > Is there a way to avoid writing % more times..that is decrease the
> > number of times of writing % while writing macros..please help..
> >
> > %macro
> > %if condition %then
> > ..
> > %else
> > ..
> > %mend
> >
> > So my question is can we avooid writing % somany times for the if
> > condition??
>
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