Turn on some options and run your code. eg. options mprint symbolgen mlogic;

mprint - text ( in this case SAS code ) generated by the macro is dumped into log symbolgen - as macro variables are resolved, their values are dumped into log mlogic - decisioning resolution appears in log

To turn off these options preface them with 'no', eg. options nomprint;

Ending a macro variable reference with a period is a good habit to get into as it can remove confusion. Often it's necessary, eg. &prefix._rest. Without the period SAS would attempt to resolve a macro variable called &prefix_rest rather than one called &prefix. In the case of the code displayed the periods are not necessary.

data=ae_&aedataL The macro is being invoked with a single positional parm with a value of AE. The macro definition gives you the name of that positional parm, &aedata. Wherever you see &aedata ( or &aedata. ) in the macro code, the value AE will be substituted. In the case of the sort, the incoming dataset name will be ae_AE.

-----Original Message----- From: owner-sas-l@listserv.uga.edu [mailto:owner-sas-l@listserv.uga.edu]On Behalf Of Somebody help me Sent: Thursday, November 17, 2005 8:16 PM To: SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU Subject: %upcase(&aedata.) and ae_&aedata. ?

I am trying to understand a program is done by someone who is not around. So Please refer to the following codes( a part of the program):

%macro checkae(aedata); %if %upcase(&aedata.)=AE %then %do; PROC SORT data=adverse(keep=patient atstop) out=ae; by patient; run; %end; %else %do; PROC SORT data=ae_&aedata.(keep=patient atstop) out=ae; by patient ; run; %end;

%mend checkae; %checkae(AE);

Can you please explain %upcase(&aedata.) and ae_&aedata. here? I understand what %upcase does but not getting why there is '.'after the macro variable ? again what exactly it means by ' ae_&aedata ' in the line PROC SORT data=ae_&aedata.(keep=patient atstop) out=ae;? _______________________________________________________________________

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