Date:         Tue, 22 Dec 2009 08:41:58 -0800
Reply-To:     Minion <acfarrer@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         Minion <acfarrer@GMAIL.COM>
Organization: http://groups.google.com
Subject:      Re: bquote and unquote
Comments: To: sas-l@uga.edu
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

On Dec 22, 11:13 am, Tom Abernathy <tom.aberna...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I still do not understand what you want.
> In your example you have a PUT statement.
> PUT statement does not use commas.
> If you want to PUT a string col1,col2 then enclose it in quotes.
> data _null_;
>   put 'col1,col2';
> run;
>
> If you have dataset variables COL1 and COL2 and you want to put the
> values quoted there are many methods.
> This will work, but include spaces after the value of the variables
> put "'" col1 "','" col2 "'" ;
> To remove the spaces you can use pointer controls.
> put "'" col1 +(-1) "','" col2 "'" +(-1) ;
>
> You could also built up a string and then PUT the string.
>   str=catx(',',quote(col1),quote(col2));
>   put str;
>
> On Dec 22, 10:47 am, Minion <acfar...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > On Dec 22, 8:45 am, "data _null_;" <datan...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > > On Dec 22, 7:06 am, Minion <acfar...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > > > After 60 mins of reviewing the archives and trying various
> > > > combinations, I have to admit defeat. My only consolation is that
> > > > other experienced folks have got stuck on this as well. I need to
> > > > write a string ('col1,col2') with embedded commas e.g.
>
> > > > %let cols = %bquote(col1,col2) ;
> > > > data _null_ ;
> > > > put %unquote(&cols) ;
> > > > run ;
>
> > > > This is for V8.2 on OS/390
>
> > > 261  %let cols = %bquote(col1,col2) ;
> > > 262  data _null_;
> > > 263     put "('&cols')";
> > > 264     run;
>
> > > ('col1,col2')
>
> > > Do I understand the question?
>
> > Oh dear. I should have been more specific. I need the output to be:
>
> > col1,col2
>
> > This suggestion may be a good compromise but I feel there is something
> > more elegant out there.
>
> > sum=sum(%sysfunc(dequote(&cols))) ;- Hide quoted text -
>
> > - Show quoted text -

Unfortunately, the string cannot be quoted. I am reviewing the V8
Online Docs and feel that the answer is in there and tantalizingly
close. Sadly, OS/390 is a lousy development environment for this
stuff. This problem may be moot as I am likely to hit the old macro
var length limit in some situations and need to come up with a %do
loop instead. Back to the archives......