Date:         Tue, 23 Dec 2003 15:56:58 -0700
Reply-To:     Kenneth Moody <KennethMoody@FIRSTHEALTH.COM>
Sender:       "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         Kenneth Moody <KennethMoody@FIRSTHEALTH.COM>
Subject:      Re: gluing single quote to mvar contents using %LET
Comments: To: TERJEM@DSHS.WA.GOV
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Mark,
Here's one method which may work (not sure about elegance):
1    %let mvar = a','b','c;
2    %let sq = %nrbquote(');
3    %let qvar = &sq.&mvar.&sq;
4    %put mvar is >&mvar.<  qvar is >&qvar.<;
mvar is >a','b','c<  qvar is >'a','b','c'<


An alternative, if you have a macro variable consisting of a space
delimited list is the macro sqlist posted on this forum a couple of
years ago:

%macro sqlist( list );
%* Single quote a list;
%* Posted on SAS-L 1-3-2001 by Peter Crawford from a Feb/Mar 2000
   post by Paul Dorfman;
%* Input is a space delimited word list;
%* Output is a comma delimited list of quoted words;
%nrbquote(')%sysfunc( tranwrd( %Qsysfunc( compbl( &LIST ) ), %str( ),
 %str(', ')))%nrbquote(')
%mend  sqlist ;

Ken

>>> "Terjeson, Mark" <TERJEM@DSHS.WA.GOV> 12/23/03 02:05PM >>>
Hi All,

re: Looking for a more eligant syntax
     to glue a single quote on the front
     and back of macro variable contents.

I've done not so pretty methods, but am
missing a more eligant and concise way.


e.g.

    %* original macro variable contents  ;
    %* which is missing leading&trailing ;
    %* single quote characters           ;
%let mvar=a','b','c;


%let mvar='&mvar.';  * obviously is not going to resolve ;


%put &mvar;

would like results to be:  'a','b','c'


Thanks in advance,
Mark