SUPPORT / SAMPLES & SAS NOTES
Usage Note 31012: An error occurs when a comma is present in the value of a parameter being passed to a macro
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ERROR: More positional parameters found than defined.The following examples illustrate the most common situations that produce this error. This error is caused by commas present in the value of a parameter being passed to the macro. Because a comma has special significance in a macro parameter list, it must be masked using the appropriate macro quoting FUNCTION.
/*example 1*/
%macro test(value);
%put &value;
%mend;
%test(a,b,c)
/*example 2*/
%macro test(value);
%put &value;
%mend;
%let x=a,b,c;
%test(&x)
In example 1,the compile-time quoting function %STR is needed to mask the comma.
/*example 1*/
%macro test(value);
%put &value;
%mend;
%test(%str(a,b,c))
In example 2, an execution-time function is needed. %BQUOTE can be used to mask the commas in the resolved value of the macro variable X.
/*example 2*/
%macro test(value);
%put &value;
%mend;
%let x=a,b,c;
%test(%bquote(&x))
A good rule to use when deciding between a compile-time FUNCTION and an execution-time quoting function is whether or not you can literally see the problem. If you can see the problem, like in Example 1, then a compile-time FUNCTION is needed (%STR or %NRSTR). In this example, we can see the commas that are causing the problem. If the problem can not be seen, as in example 2, then an execution-time FUNCTION is needed (%BQUOTE or %SUPERQ). We can not see the commas because the parameter's value is the resolved value of a macro variable.
Operating System and Release Information
| Product Family | Product | System | SAS Release | |
| Reported | Fixed* | |||
| SAS System | Base SAS | z/OS | ||
| OpenVMS VAX | ||||
| Microsoft® Windows® for 64-Bit Itanium-based Systems | ||||
| Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Datacenter 64-bit Edition | ||||
| Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise 64-bit Edition | ||||
| Microsoft Windows XP 64-bit Edition | ||||
| Microsoft® Windows® for x64 | ||||
| OS/2 | ||||
| Microsoft Windows 95/98 | ||||
| Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server | ||||
| Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server | ||||
| Microsoft Windows 2000 Server | ||||
| Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional | ||||
| Microsoft Windows NT Workstation | ||||
| Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Datacenter Edition | ||||
| Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition | ||||
| Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition | ||||
| Microsoft Windows XP Professional | ||||
| Windows Millennium Edition (Me) | ||||
| Windows Vista | ||||
| 64-bit Enabled AIX | ||||
| 64-bit Enabled HP-UX | ||||
| 64-bit Enabled Solaris | ||||
| ABI+ for Intel Architecture | ||||
| AIX | ||||
| HP-UX | ||||
| HP-UX IPF | ||||
| IRIX | ||||
| Linux | ||||
| Linux on Itanium | ||||
| OpenVMS Alpha | ||||
| Solaris | ||||
| Solaris for x64 | ||||
| Tru64 UNIX | ||||