Date:         Fri, 28 Oct 2005 12:47:06 -0400
Reply-To:     Steve Raimi <steven.raimi@GM.COM>
Sender:       "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         Steve Raimi <steven.raimi@GM.COM>
Subject:      Re: Searching macrovar for a comma

Mark,

   I'd tried inverting the logic as you suggest earlier, but I've since
found out that there are other odd effects involved in this that hid
progress.  I also had to quote the source string(s) (thanks, Ian!), plus
isolate the code into its own macro to prevent subsequent macros from
loading (which caused weird effects when the unexpected comma was used).
Thanks also to Ron Fehd and Peter Crawford (the latter a private reply) for
your help.
Here's the macro that's my final result:

%macro verify_entries;
   %if (%length(%sysfunc(compress(%quote(&targetds&targetvars),,fid))) > 0)
%then %do;
      *targetds or targetvars has invalid delimiter;
      %put; %put; %put; %put;
      %put &errormarker;
      %put Targetds and/or targetvar macro variables have non-legal
characters.;
      %put This could be caused by a delimiter other than a space between
items.;
      %put Please correct entries and resubmit.;
      %put &errormarker;
      %put; %put; %put; %put;
      proc printto;
      run;
   %return;
   %end;
%mend verify_entries;

%verify_entries

Steve Raimi
GMAC Insurance