Date:         Mon, 25 Jan 2010 09:04:23 -0600
Reply-To:     Joe Matise <snoopy369@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         Joe Matise <snoopy369@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: macro- dataset naming
Comments: To: "Mark S." <marksmolkin@gmail.com>
In-Reply-To:  <201001251502.o0PBl8K4019763@malibu.cc.uga.edu>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Use _name type names (or __name or whatnot).  You can delete them at the end
of the macro (PROC DATASETS) and feel fairly safe that you aren't
overwriting anything important, as _name is traditionally reserved for
"temporary" datasets that do not need to be preserved.

-Joe

On Mon, Jan 25, 2010 at 9:02 AM, Mark S. <marksmolkin@gmail.com> wrote:

> When I write a macro that will contain one or more datasteps (say, for
> intermediate calculations) I am never sure how to name them so they do not
> interfer with existing datasets. I feel like with larger macros, and
> increasing numbers of datasets, I am just asking for trouble. Is there a
> way to create datasets 'local' to the macro like can be done with macro
> variables? If not, I'd be interested what others do in this situation.
>
> Mark
>