Ask Analytics: SAS Macros - Part 3 - Loops and Conditions in Macros

Do Loop, If-Else- conditions in SAS Macros

We have already covered Global and Local Macro variables and Macros along with sample usages in our previous articles. Let's now learn looping and conditional executions in Macros.

A little complex though, but we have tried to keep it as simple as possible.

Link to the previous articles of the series:

SAS Macros - Part 1 - Global Macro Variables

SAS Macros - Part 2 - Macro and Local Macro Variables

Useful options and tips whiles writing SAS Macros

Do Loop in SAS macros :

We write %Do , %to and %End while using Do Loop in Macro.
In a macro body Do Loop can be used both inside and outside the Data Step.
It is used to do any task repetitively
Helps in writing a code in shorter form

Let's understand "DO" with an example. We have a data set :

Data Class;

infile datalines ;

Input Name $ Subject $ full_marks Marks_secured;

cards;

Rajat Maths 100 52

Vinod Maths 100 64

Rakesh Maths 100 57

Geeta Maths 100 58

Bharat Maths 100 86

Rajesh Maths 100 81

Monal Maths 100 67

Aarya Maths 100 88

Ritesh Maths 100 68

Neha Maths 100 88

Rajat English 150 53

Vinod English 150 69

Rakesh English 150 52

Geeta English 150 59

Bharat English 150 88

Rajesh English 150 59

Monal English 150 71

Aarya English 150 66

Ritesh English 150 68

Neha English 150 77

;

Run;

We first generate a counter, that would give each student a unique numeric ID (Count)

Proc sort data = class ; by subject name; run;
Data class ;
set class ;
count +1 ;
by subject ;
if first.subject then count = 1;
run;

Proc sort data = class ; by Count ; Run;

We would now exploit this count variable for breaking the data into 10 parts :

%Macro Break_the_data;

%Do i = 1 %to 10;

Data Student_&i.;
Set Class;
Where count = &i.;
Run;

%End;

%Mend;

%Break_the_data;

The macro above, initializes a local macro variable "i", which changes its value from 1 to 10 with unit increment. it is then being used in the data step and hence subset datasets Data_1, Data_2 ..... Data_10 get created. You can visualize, how the macro coding saved us from writing 10 data steps.

Can you please help me append these datasets back ....

Don't you worry, it wont take much efforts. Use the following macro to do so :

%Macro Append_the_data;

Data Appended;
set
%Do i = 1 %to 10 ;
Student_&i.
%end;
;
Run;
%End;

%Mend;

%Appended;

Basically the above macro would write the following code in background :

Data appended;
Set Student_1 Student_2 Student_3 Student_4 Student_5
Student_6 Student_7 Student_8 Student_9 Student_10 ;
Run;

As I said in Part 1 of the article, Macro is an indirect way of writing code, you can see it, how the macro helps us KISSS the code.

* KISSS - Keep it short, simple and sweet