An
interface with the macro
facility is not part of the macro processor but rather a SAS software
feature that enables another portion of the SAS language to interact
with the macro facility during execution. For example, a DATA step
interface enables you to access macro variables from the DATA step.
Macro facility interfaces are useful because, in general, macro processing
happens before DATA step, SQL, SCL, or
SAS/CONNECT execution, so the connection between the macro facility
and the rest of SAS is not usually dynamic. But by using an interface
to the macro facility, you can dynamically connect the macro facility
to the rest of SAS.
Note: The %SYSFUNC and %QSYSFUNC
macro functions enable you to use SAS language functions with the
macro processor. The %SYSCALL macro statement enables you to use SAS
language CALL routines with the macro processor. While these elements
of the macro language are not considered true macro facility interfaces,
they are discussed in this section. See
Macro Language Elements for more information about these macro language elements.