SERROR System Option

Specifies whether the macro processor issues a warning message when a macro variable reference does not match a macro variable.
Valid in: Configuration fileOPTIONS window OPTIONS statement SAS invocation
PROC OPTIONS GROUP= MACRO
Type: System option
Alias: SERR | NOSERR
Default: SERROR

Syntax

SERROR | NOSERROR

Required Arguments

SERROR
issues a warning message when the macro processor cannot match a macro variable reference to an existing macro variable.
NOSERROR
issues no warning messages when the macro processor cannot match a macro variable reference to an existing macro variable.

Details

Several conditions can occur that prevent a macro variable reference from resolving. These conditions appear when one or more of the following is true:
  • the name in a macro variable reference is misspelled.
  • the variable is referenced before being defined.
  • the program contains an ampersand ( &) followed by a string, without intervening blanks between the ampersand and the string. For example:
    if x&y then do;
    if buyer="Smith&Jones, Inc." then do;
If your program uses a text string containing ampersands and you want to suppress the warnings, specify NOSERROR.