SAS Macros Course

In this course, the participant will learn the theory and methods of SAS Macro programming and how to apply them to common problems. Creating simpler and more efficient SAS code is addressed. Quite often programs are re-run with minor changes. This creates multiple copies of the same code. We show how to avoid copying programs used multiple times for processing and how to create a generic version of the code for future processing. Large programs can be reduced to single lines. Managing processes is much easier. We discuss the creation of routines in SAS. Other people can run routines created, using macros without having to re-code from scratch.

This course is designed for the experienced SAS user.

Upon completion of this course, the participant will be able to:
> Read raw data and create SAS data sets
> Recognize why we use macros
> Be able to write and debug macro code
> Develop macros that dynamically build program code
> Create and use macro variables

Introduction to Macros
How the SAS macro language works
Introduction to tokenizing, compiling and executing a SAS program
How the macro processor works

Applying Macro Variables in a SAS Program
Applying automatic macro variables
Designing customized macro variables
Substituting the macro variable value in strategic points in the program code
Incorporating macro variables in SAS programming
Displaying macro variable values in the SAS log
Applying quoting functions with macros

Incorporating SAS Macros in the Data Step
Designing macro variables during Data Step execution
Indirectly referencing macro variables
Resolving macro variables during Data Step execution
Understanding the functionality and application of the SYMGET function and SYMPUT routine
Using the INTO clause to build macro variables during PROC SQL execution

Running Macro Programs in SAS Software
Designing and implementing simple macros
Specifying conditional coding inside a macro
The macro compilation and execution processes in the macro processor
SAS system options used for debugging macros
Reviewing error and warning log messages displayed by the macro processor
Designing and using macros containing parameters within them
Using positional and keyword parameters in macro calls
Differences between global and local symbol tables
Nested macros and symbol table hierarchies

Techniques for Storing Macros
Understanding the autocall feature
Permanently storing and using compiled macros
Writing efficient macro programs

This course requires prior SAS programming knowledge, including familiarity with the following:
> Creating and running SAS programs
> Applying the LIBNAME, FILENAME, TITLE and OPTIONS statements
> Using the Data Step to access a SAS data set or an external data file
> Incorporating Data Step programming statements, such as, IF-THEN/ ELSE, DO WHILE, DO UNTIL and the DO LOOP.
> Applying character functions, like SUBSTR, SCAN, INDEX, and UPCASE
> Specifying the LENGTH and RETAIN statements
> Applying SAS data set options, including DROP=, KEEP=, and OBS=
> Using the WHERE clause to subset data
> Understanding and applying SAS date values, including date constants
> Using base SAS procedures, including SORT, PRINT, CONTENTS, MEANS, FREQ, TABULATE, and CHART
This knowledge base may be acquired by taking the Programming II: Data Manipulation Using The Data Step course.