Date:         Wed, 23 Dec 1998 08:55:41 -0500
Reply-To:     Richard DeVenezia <radevenz@IX.NETCOM.COM>
Sender:       "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@UGA.CC.UGA.EDU>
From:         Richard DeVenezia <radevenz@IX.NETCOM.COM>
Organization: ICGNetcom
Subject:      Re: Conditional processing of a data step

Using the same line of thought, you can conditionally execute a block of
statements.
 
data _null_;
if symget("<a status macro variable>") = "<the skip block condition>" then
  call symput('skip',' ');
else
  call symput('skip','*');
run;
 
&skip/*;
 
<block of statements not containing /**/ comments>
 
*/;
 
when skip=* the block will run,
when skip=<blank> the block will become a /* */ comment.
 
Rich DeVenezia
 
> Here's another one.................(exsw is 'external switch')
>
>160   %let exsw=Y;
>161
>162   data _null_;
>163   if "&exsw" = 'N' then call symput('stop','STOP;');
>164   else                  call symput('stop','*CONTIMUE;');
>165   run;
>
>NOTE: The DATA statement used 0.01 CPU seconds and 5140K.
>
>166
>167   data _null_;
>168   &stop
>169   put 'THE STEP RUNS';
>170   run;
>
>THE STEP RUNS
>NOTE: The DATA statement used 0.01 CPU seconds and 5140K.