Ok so my colleague and I are working on a macro that will have a parameters like any of the following

%wheremissing(ds=_LAST_, var=v1, ExtraMissing = "NA" "Unk" "#");run; %wheremissing(ds=_LAST_, var=v1, ExtraMissing = 77 88 99 );run; %wheremissing(ds=_LAST_, var=v1, ExtraMissing = NA Unk #);run; %wheremissing(ds=_LAST_, var=v1, ExtraMissing = "77" "88" "99");run;

etc. Basically the trouble comes in the "ExtraMissing" parameter. Since we are allowing (and determining) the char/num status of v1, we have to allow "character" missing values as potential additional missing values to SAS's . and "".

So my question is how the blazes do I look for a single " or ' in an input macro variable?? when we try %bquote(") the program treats it as an unbalanced quote. Suggestions?

Actual macro we're working on is below if it'll help:

*======================= begin program ===========================;

%macro wheremissing(ds= , vlist= , idvars= , ExtraMissing=); * Localize variables to safeguard against problems when using with other macros.; %local ds vlist idvars libname _ds_ i var vartype name NumMiss char num ExtraMissing Defaultextramissing temp__ var_dummy;

* Works correctly for permanent data sets. Must fix when temporary file (below).; %let libname = %scan(&ds, 1); %let _ds_ = %scan(&ds, 2);

* If a temporary file, assign "work" libname and reassign _ds_ correctly.; %if &_ds_ = %then %do; %let _ds_ = &libname; %let libname = work; %end; %let i=0; %do %while (%scan(&vlist, &i+1) ^= ); %let i=%eval(&i+1) ; %let var=%scan(&vlist , &i); * Create new variable "vartype" that gives variable type (i.e., character or numeric).; proc sql noprint; select type into : vartype from sashelp.vcolumn where libname=%upcase("&libname") & memname=%upcase("&_ds_") & upcase(name)=%upcase("&var"); quit; run;

* Created "ExtraMissing" parameter so first change extra missing values in list to "" for character or "." for numeric in a temporary data set so that the rest of program runs as-was.; %if &vartype = char %then %let DefaultMissing = ""; %if &vartype = num %then %let DefaultMissing = .;

%inc "/home/common/programs/SMUG/sasautos/countvar.sas"; data temp__; set &ds; * Rename variable at hand so that you can change values in "ExtraMissing" list to " " for character variables or "." for numeric variables in "var_dummy" while keeping "var" the same (with extra missing values specified by "ExtraMissing") to later print out original missing values (i.e., not those changed to " " or "." in "var_dummy" for the program to run smoothly).;

var_dummy = &var; %countvar(&ExtraMissing);

* Countvar returns the number of variables in the "ExtraMissing" list and stores in "P".; %do NumInList = 1 %to &P; %if %bquote(%substr(%scan(&ExtraMissing, &NumInList), 1, 1)) = %bquote(") %then %bquote(ExtraMiss_NoQuotes) = %bquote(%substr(%scan(&ExtraMissing, &NumInList), 2, %sysevalf(%length(%scan(&ExtraMissing, &NumInList)) -1))); * Change extra missing values to "" or ".", depending on variable type.; if &var = %scan(&ExtraMissing, &NumInList) then var_dummy = &DefaultMissing; %end; run;

* Create variable "NumMiss" that counts number of extra missing values.; proc sql noprint; select count(*) into : NumMiss from temp__ where %if &vartype=char %then var_dummy = ""; %else %if &vartype=num %then var_dummy = .; ; quit; run;

* Note variable type in the log.; %if &vartype=char %then %put NOTE: The variable type is CHARACTER for &var in &ds..; %if &vartype=num %then %put NOTE: The variable type is NUMERIC for &var in &ds..; * Print observations with missing values to output window.; %if &NumMiss ne 0 %then %do; * If character variable (default missing = ""), then output following title to output window, depending on if extra missing variables were specified.; %if &vartype=char %then %do; %if &ExtraMissing ne %then %do; title "&NumMiss obs in &ds with missing values (missing = """" %bquote(&ExtraMissing.)) of &var."; %end; %else %do; title "&NumMiss obs in &ds with missing values (missing = """") of &var."; %end; %end; * If numeric variable (default missing = .), then output following title to output window, depending on if extra missing variables were specified.; %if &vartype=num %then %do; %if &ExtraMissing ne %then %do; title "&NumMiss obs in &ds with missing values (missing = . %bquote(&ExtraMissing.)) of &var."; %end; %else %do; title "&NumMiss obs in &ds with missing values (missing = .) of &var."; %end; %end; proc print data=temp__ noobs; var &idvars &var; where %if &vartype=char %then var_dummy=""; %else %if &vartype=num %then var_dummy=.; ; run; %end; * Note if no missing values in the log (nothing goes to output window for these variables).; %if &NumMiss = 0 %then %do; * If character variable (default missing = ""), then output following note to log, depending on if extra missing variables were specified.; %if &vartype=char %then %do; %if &ExtraMissing ne %then %do; %put NOTE: Zero obs in &ds with missing values (missing = %bquote("") %bquote(&ExtraMissing.)) of &var..; %end; %else %do; %put NOTE: Zero obs in &ds with missing values (missing = %bquote("")) of &var..; %end; %end; * If numeric variable (default missing = .), then output following note to log, depending on if extra missing variables were specified.; %if &vartype=num %then %do; %if &ExtraMissing ne %then %do; %put NOTE: Zero obs in &ds with missing values (missing = . %bquote(&ExtraMissing.)) of &var..; %end; %else %do; %put NOTE: Zero obs in &ds with missing values (missing = .) of &var..; %end; %end; %end; %end; %mend; *wheremissing; *======================= End program ===========================;

--- Matthew T. Karafa, PhD= CCF CBC - Epidemiology & Biostatistics mkarafa@bio.ri.ccf.org= These data do not support the hypothesis. Phone: 445-9556 = Well...The first one does, but the second Fax : 444-8021 = and third don't, now the fourth... = --Unknown