SAS macro string quoting issues causing IN operation not working?

Question

All: when performing IN operator to match words in a macro string, the quotes are required. But, the results are frustrated, would someone remind me what I have missed. This macro string is created from proc sql as below '''

proc sql noprint;
  select memname into :domains separated by ' '
  from sashelp.vtable
  where libname='SDTM';
quit;

''' Next, I quoted the string using this statement '''

%let domains_quoted = %nrbquote(')%qsysfunc(prxchange(s/\s+/%nrbquote(',')/oi,-1,&domains))%nrbquote(');

''' In log, it displayed no issues

SYMBOLGEN:  Macro variable DOMAINS_QUOTED resolves to 'AE','CM','DM','DS','EG','EX',...

Then, I wish I can filter the output datasets. '''

data want;
set have;
if dname in (&domains_quoted);
run;

''' I got the error message saying:

SYMBOLGEN:  Some characters in the above value which were subject to macro quoting have been unquoted for printing.
ERROR 22-322: Syntax error, expecting one of the following: a quoted string, a numeric constant, a datetime constant,
              a missing value, iterator, (.

Would some one remind me what I have missed in these steps? Great appreciated.

Answer 1

Use the QUOTE() function to avoid the PRX step.

  proc sql noprint;
      select quote(memname) into :domains separated by ' '
      from sashelp.vtable
      where libname='SDTM';
    quit;

  data want;
    set have;
    if dname in (&domains_quoted);
  run;