I was trying to use macro variables to comment out pieces of code. For example, say I've a program and I need to run most of it 100% of times, but a specific proc print only on certain occasions (let's assume this decision is not data driven). The idea is to create a macro variable at the beginning of my program. I'd set it to null when I want to run the proc print, and I'd set it to /* when I want to comment out proc print.

I experimented a bit but I couldn't come up with a satisfactory solution.

Here's an example of what I thought could work but it didn't.

%LET exclude=%STR(/)%STR(*);

&exclude proc print data=dataset; run;

A %PUT correctly resolves the macro variable to /*. However it doesn't work with my proc. Shouldn't the macro resolve to /* and comment out proc print?

Thanks,

G