System Options for Macros

SYMBOLGEN System Option

Specifies whether the results of resolving macro variable references are written to the SAS log for debugging.

Valid in:

Configuration file

OPTIONS window

OPTIONS statement

SAS invocation

Type:

System option

Alias:

SGEN | NOSGEN

Default:

NOSYMBOLGEN

PROC OPTIONS GROUP=

MACRO

LOGCONTROL

Syntax

SYMBOLGEN | NOSYMBOLGEN

SYMBOLGEN: displays the results of resolving macro variable references. This option is useful for debugging.
NOSYMBOLGEN: does not display results of resolving macro variable references.

Details

SYMBOLGEN displays the results in this form:

SYMBOLGEN: Macro variable name resolves to value

SYMBOLGEN also indicates when a double ampersand (&& ) resolves to a single ampersand (& ).

Example

Example 1: Tracing Resolution of Macro Variable References

In this example, SYMBOLGEN traces the resolution of macro variable references when the macros MKTITLE and RUNPLOT execute:

%macro mktitle(proc,data);
    title "%upcase(&proc) of %upcase(&data)";
%mend mktitle;

%macro runplot(ds);
   %if %sysprod(graph)=1 %then
      %do;
         %mktitle (gplot,&ds)
         proc gplot data=&ds;
            plot style*price
                / haxis=0 to 150000 by 50000;
         run;
         quit;
      %end;
   %else
      %do;
         %mktitle (plot,&ds)
         proc plot data=&ds;
            plot style*price;
         run;
         quit;
      %end;
%mend runplot;

%runplot(sasuser.houses)

When this program executes, this SYMBOLGEN output is written to the SAS log:

SYMBOLGEN:  Macro variable DS resolves to sasuser.houses
SYMBOLGEN:  Macro variable PROC resolves to gplot
SYMBOLGEN:  Macro variable DATA resolves to sasuser.houses
SYMBOLGEN:  Macro variable DS resolves to sasuser.houses

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