Date:         Thu, 15 Jul 1999 10:45:15 -0400
Reply-To:     "Fehd, Ronald J." <rjf2@CDC.GOV>
Sender:       "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         "Fehd, Ronald J." <rjf2@CDC.GOV>
Subject:      Re: Sorting a macro list
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

From: John Megargee [mailto:johnmegargee@NETSCAPE.NET]
/I have a blank-separated list of up to 100 valid v6 SAS names that in
general
/don't follow any particular pattern The whole list is assigned to a macro
/variable, for instance (these are just random words for tests):

/%LET LIST =
/SG FJLKDSN GEWO OPITHUI GJSERO TNJEOWIJ TW9345Y TWES SDJGJSRL NWOITJN RET
/ORA47Q3 Y94 Z Q374R R462QTQ;

/Is there a macro function that would return the same list in a sorted order
/like %LET SORTLIST = %SORT(&LIST)? I know how to do it with SORT or SQL but
it
/_must_ be done in a macro. It would be also nice to be able to sort the
list
/ascending or descending and remove duplicates if necessary. I've tried
bubble
/and insertion sorts but they seem to run forever. Any help is really
/appreciated.

LOL
writing a bubble -- or any other type -- sorting routine in the macro
language?!
gimme a break, there's a round flat thing with a hole in the middle right in
front of you.
I recommend using SAS to do the sorting because that is what it can do well.

%macro sortlist(list);
%local I DIM_ITEM;%LET DIM_ITEM = 100;
%DO I = 1 %TO &DIM_ITEM;%local ITEM&I.;%END;
%ARRAY(ITEM,&LIST.);run;
data LIST;
length Item $8;
%DO I = 1 %TO %DIM_ITEM; Item = "&&ITEM&I.";output;%END;
stop;
proc SORT data = LIST;
 by Item;
%*turn data set back into mac-var: an exercise for the macro-literate;
%MEND;

Ron Fehd  the right tool maven  CDC Atlanta GA
author of the Very Large Macro %ARRAY see SUGI 22 Proceedings;