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Hi Toby,
Good questions !
I was a C/C++ programmer several years ago. I think C-type
function such as printf
is very useful for generating parameterized formatted mesages either
in SAS Macro or SAS data step. For example,
Instead of using
" trim(left(put(var1, 8.1)||"["||trim(left(put(var2,
7.5)))||","||trim(left(put(var3, 8.7))||"]"
to create formatted string 8.1 [ 7.5, 8.7], I would prefer to use
a "picture" macro like
s= %picture(var1 var2 var3, fmt=xx.x [xx.x, xx.x])
It is easy to use and understand !.
For the questions you raised about unequal number of variables and
formats in a macro call. I think we can either report this is an error,
or just match what they can and let users
to fix the macro calls later after they see the result string.
I would like this macro to run on SAS version 8.02 and up. Since both
versions have functions to support regular expression handling (REGEX)
functions, I think they will make the implementation a little easy.
For how to use SAS regex functions, I just noticed a good paper " An
Introduction to Perl Regular Expressions" in SUGI 31 by Ronald Cody.
I guess %picture could be a good exercise of using SAS REGEX funtions
described by Ronald .
Talk you later
Have fun
LZ
toby dunn wrote:
> Lei ,
>
> What value do you see in this approach over either creating a user format or
> just typing what you want into where ever you want it to go?
>
> But even say you have a good reason, lets consider the possibilities:
>
> 1.) You have an equal number of values in your value list to the number of
> formats in your format list. Not a problem I think we get what you want
> here.
>
> 2.) You have more values in your value list than in your format list, which
> value goes with value then?
>
> 3.) You have more formats in your format list than in your value list, again
> which value ges with what value?
>
> 4.) you have either no values in your value list or you have no formats in
> your format list?
>
> Finally what version of SAS would you like this to run on V8 or some flavor
> of V9?
> And
> in what context would you like to call this macro?
>
>
>
>
>
> Toby Dunn
>
>
>
>
>
> From: Lei Zhang <lzhang9830@YAHOO.COM>
> Reply-To: lzhang9830@YAHOO.COM
> To: SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> Subject: Re: How to create a "%picture" macro?
> Date: Tue, 28 Mar 2006 16:25:00 -0800
>
> Hi,
> I am looking for a macro that can work with both VAR and VAL.
> More examples of usages are showed below:
>
> %let x1 = 12.3;
> %let x2 = 23;
> %let x3 = 45.3;
>
> %picture(&x1 &x2 &x3, fmt= Output three values: xx.x xx, and xx.x)
> == > Output three values: 12.3 23, and 45.3
>
> %picture(&x1 &x2 &x3, fmt= Output estimated value and CI: xx.x
> [xx,xx.x] ) == > Output estimated value and CI: 12.3 [23,45.3]
>
> The output formats for the macro are various and unlimited.
>
> Either data step or pure macro code can be used for the
> implementation.
>
> I am not against using REGEX (regular expression functions) to
> parsing the &fmt if there is no other better solution with basic macro
> string functions.
>
>
> LZ
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