Date:         Wed, 27 Aug 2008 11:09:05 -0700
Reply-To:     "Choate, Paul@DDS" <pchoate@DDS.CA.GOV>
Sender:       "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         "Choate, Paul@DDS" <pchoate@DDS.CA.GOV>
Subject:      Re: Resolving a numerically valued macro
Comments: To: Suren gc <gc_suren@YAHOO.COM>
In-Reply-To:  A<200808271756.m7RG23t5024338@malibu.cc.uga.edu>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

From the help doc

"Macro variable names must start with a letter or an underscore and can
be followed by letters or digits"

See "Rules for Words and Names in the SAS Language"

Paul Choate
DDS Data Extraction
(916) 654-2160

-----Original Message-----
From: SAS(r) Discussion [mailto:SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf Of
Suren gc
Sent: Wednesday, August 27, 2008 10:57 AM
To: SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: Resolving a numerically valued macro

Here is my problem:
I created a macro variable that has values starting with number. When i
try
to do %if %then evaluations on the macro values then gives me an error
message saying :
WARNING: Apparent symbolic reference FORM not resolved.
ERROR: A character operand was found in the %EVAL function or %IF
condition
where a numeric operand is required. The condition was:
&form=01-Pulp-Pine
ERROR: The macro ABC will stop executing.
38   run;


Could you please let me know how to go about solving this


data abc;
do i=1 to 10;
output;
run;

%macro abc;
%do i=1 %to 2;
%if i=1 %then %do; %let form=01-Pulp-Pine; %end;
%if i=2 %then %do; %let form=02-Hdwd;%end;

%if &form=01-Pulp-Pine %then %do;
data efg;
set abc;
run;
%end;
%end;
%mend;
%abc;
run;

Thanks
Suren