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Problem Note 53071: A recursive error is generated when referencing a non-existent macro variable that ends in a period

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The following error might be incorrectly generated if a macro variable has not been defined and it is referenced with a period following the macro variable name:

ERROR: The text expression &x. contains a recursive reference to the macro variable X1. The macro variable will be assigned the null value.

The example code below causes the above error:

%let x1=&x.; %put &x1;

Possible circumventions for this issue include the following:

  • %let x1=&x; %put &x1;
  • %let x=; %let x1=&x.; %put &x1;


Operating System and Release Information

Product FamilyProductSystemSAS Release
ReportedFixed*
SAS SystemBase SASTeradata on Linux9.3 TS1M09.4 TS1M2
Netezza TwinFin 64-bit S-Blades9.3 TS1M09.4 TS1M2
Netezza TwinFin 64-bit SMP Hosts9.3 TS1M09.4 TS1M2
Netezza TwinFin 32-bit SMP Hosts9.3 TS1M09.4 TS1M2
DB2 Universal Database on AIX9.3 TS1M09.4 TS1M2
Aster Data nCluster on Linux x649.3 TS1M09.4 TS1M2
Netezza TwinFin 32bit blade9.3 TS1M09.4 TS1M2
DB2 Universal Database on Linux x649.3 TS1M09.4 TS1M2
Greenplum on Linux x649.3 TS1M09.4 TS1M2
Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Datacenter Edition9.3 TS1M0
Microsoft® Windows® for x649.3 TS1M09.4 TS1M2
Z649.3 TS1M09.4 TS1M2
z/OS9.3 TS1M09.4 TS1M2
Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition9.3 TS1M0
Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition9.3 TS1M0
Microsoft Windows Server 2003 for x649.3 TS1M0
Microsoft Windows Server 20089.3 TS1M09.4 TS1M2
Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R29.3 TS1M09.4 TS1M2
Microsoft Windows Server 2008 for x649.3 TS1M09.4 TS1M2
Microsoft Windows XP Professional9.3 TS1M0
Windows 7 Enterprise 32 bit9.3 TS1M09.4 TS1M2
Windows 7 Enterprise x649.3 TS1M09.4 TS1M2
Windows 7 Home Premium 32 bit9.3 TS1M09.4 TS1M2
Windows 7 Home Premium x649.3 TS1M09.4 TS1M2
Windows 7 Professional 32 bit9.3 TS1M09.4 TS1M2
Windows 7 Professional x649.3 TS1M09.4 TS1M2
Windows 7 Ultimate 32 bit9.3 TS1M09.4 TS1M2
Windows 7 Ultimate x649.3 TS1M09.4 TS1M2
Windows Vista9.3 TS1M0
Windows Vista for x649.3 TS1M0
64-bit Enabled AIX9.3 TS1M09.4 TS1M2
64-bit Enabled HP-UX9.3 TS1M09.4 TS1M2
64-bit Enabled Solaris9.3 TS1M09.4 TS1M2
HP-UX IPF9.3 TS1M09.4 TS1M2
Linux9.3 TS1M09.4 TS1M2
Linux for x649.3 TS1M09.4 TS1M2
Solaris for x649.3 TS1M09.4 TS1M2
* 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.