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if-statementsasmacros

SAS how to use character variable in if statment

I want to use character variable for if statement comparison, however why SAS always trying to treat it as numeric?

let VAR = "apple"

other code...

%macro Exec_day1();
If &VAR. eq "apple" %then %do;
    %include "/code.sas";
%end;

%mend;
%Exec_day1();

ERROR: A character operand was found in the %EVAL function or %IF condition where a numeric operand is required. The condition was: &VAR. eq "apple"

Solution

  • Assuming that you actually had the % in the %IF then your code will work. Try this example.

    %let mvar = "apple" ;
%if &mvar = "apple" %then %do;
  %put The value of MVAR is &mvar and that is the same as "apple".;
%end;

    But if you leave the quotes out of the value of MVAR

    %let mvar = apple ;

    Then they will not match.

    Most likely the issue is that you do not actually have a macro variable with that name. You can use the above example to generate such an error if you just add

    %symdel mvar ;

    right before the %IF statement.

    3    %if &mvar = "apple" %then %do;
WARNING: Apparent symbolic reference MVAR not resolved.
WARNING: Apparent symbolic reference MVAR not resolved.
ERROR: A character operand was found in the %EVAL function or %IF condition where a numeric operand is required. The condition was:
       &mvar = "apple"
ERROR: Skipping to next %END statement.
4      %put The value of MVAR is &mvar and that is the same as "apple".;
5    %end;

    Otherwise you might be seeing that error message from some other %IF statement. Perhaps one that was in the %INCLUDE file. Add the /SOURCE2 option to the %INCLUDE so that the lines of code read from that file will appear in the SAS log.

    %include "/code.sas" / source2;