50584 - Syntax error is generated within PROC SQL when a query is inside a macro

Problem Note 50584: Syntax error is generated within PROC SQL when a query is inside a macro

Syntax errors occur when a PROC SQL query is embedded within a user-created macro function and the following conditions exist:

A comment flows for more than two lines and is at least as long as the comment in the code. Also, the comment does not extend to a third line.
No blank line exists between the comment and the beginning of the SQL code.
A macro variable, terminated with a period (.), is referenced on the WHERE clause and is compared to a column with the < symbol. (The problem occurs with the > symbol, too, but not with: =, <=, >= or <> symbols.)
The terminating semicolon (;) must be on a separate line after the WHERE clause.

Here are four possible changes that prevent the error:

Removing the period (.) after the macro variable referenced on the WHERE clause
Moving the semicolon (;) that terminates the PROC SQL step to the same line as the WHERE clause
Removing the blank line between the %MACRO declaration and the comment prior to the PROC SQL invocation
Moving the comment out of the macro and putting the comment prior to the %MACRO declaration

Click the Hot Fix tab in this note to access the hot fix for this issue.

* For software releases that are not yet generally available, the Fixed Release is the software release in which the problem is planned to be fixed.

A fix for this issue for Base SAS 9.3_M2 is available at:

A fix for this issue for Base SAS 9.3_M1 is available at:

A syntax is generated from PROC SQL if within a macro and certain criteria are met.

Type:	Problem Note
Priority:	medium

Date Modified:	2013-08-13 09:42:21
Date Created:	2013-08-01 10:48:25