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SAS Macro Language: Reference |
SAS Institute supplies libraries of autocall macros to each SAS site. The libraries you receive depend on the SAS products licensed at your site. You can use autocall macro without having to define or include them in your programs.
When SAS is installed, the autocall libraries are included in the value of the SASAUTOS system option in the system configuration file. The autocall macros are stored as individual members, each containing a macro definition. Each member has the same name as the macro definition it contains.
Although the macros available in the autocall libraries supplied by SAS Institute are working utility programs, you can also use them as models for your own routines. In addition, you can call them in macros you write yourself.
To explore these macro definitions, browse the commented section at the beginning of each member. See the setting of SAS system option SASAUTOS, to find the location of the autocall libraries. To view the SASAUTOS value, use one of the following:
For details on these options, refer to Chapter 16, "SAS System Options," in SAS Language: Reference, Version 6, First Edition.
Selected Autocall Macros lists selected autocall macros.
Macro | Description |
---|---|
CMPRES and QCMPRES | compress multiple blanks and remove leading and trailing blanks. QCMPRES masks the result so special characters and mnemonic operators are treated as text instead of being interpreted by the macro facility. |
COMPSTOR | compiles macros and stores them in a catalog in a permanent SAS library. |
DATATYP | returns the data type of a value. |
LEFT and QLEFT | left-align an argument by removing leading blanks. QLEFT masks the result so special characters and mnemonic operators are treated as text instead of being interpreted by the macro facility. |
SYSRC | returns a value corresponding to an error condition. |
TRIM and QTRIM | trim trailing blanks. QTRIM masks the result so special characters and mnemonic operators are treated as text instead of being interpreted by the macro facility. |
VERIFY | returns the position of the first character unique to an expression. |
Required System Options for Autocall Macros |
To use autocall macros, you must set two SAS system options:
If your site has installed the autocall libraries supplied by SAS Institute and uses the standard configuration of SAS software supplied by the Institute, you need only to ensure that the SAS system option MAUTOSOURCE is in effect to begin using the autocall macros.
Using Autocall Macros |
To use an autocall macro, call it in your program with the statement %macro-name. The macro processor searches first in the WORK library for a compiled macro definition with that name. If the macro processor does not find a compiled macro and if the MAUTOSOURCE is in effect, the macro processor searches the libraries specified by the SASAUTOS option for a member with that name. When the macro processor finds the member, it
After the macro is compiled, it is stored in the WORK.SASMACR catalog and is available for use in the SAS session without having to be recompiled.
You can also create your own autocall macros and store them in libraries for easy execution. For more information, see Chapter 9, "Storing and Reusing Macros."
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Copyright 1999 by SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA. All rights reserved.