CALL SYMPUTN Routine

In SCL programs, assigns a numeric value to a global macro variable.

Type:	SCL call routine
See:	SYMGET Function, SYMGETN Function, and CALL SYMPUT Routine

Syntax

Details

Comparisons

Example

Syntax

CALL SYMPUTN('macro-variable', value);

Required Arguments

macro-variable: is the name of a global macro variable with no ampersand – note the single quotation marks. Or, it is the name of an SCL variable that contains the name of a global macro variable.

value: is the numeric value to assign, which can be a number or the name of a numeric SCL variable.

Details

The SYMPUTN routine assigns a numeric value to a global SAS macro variable. SYMPUTN assigns the value when the SCL program executes. You can also use SYMPUTN to assign the value of a macro variable whose name is stored in an SCL variable. For example, to assign the value of SCL variable UNITNUM to SCL variable UNITVAR, which contains 'UNIT', submit the following:

call symputn(unitvar,unitnum)

You must use SYMPUTN with a CALL statement.

Note: It is inefficient to use an ampersand (&) to reference a macro variable that was created with CALL SYMPUTN. Instead, use SYMGETN. It is also inefficient to use CALL SYMPUTN to store a variable that does not contain a numeric value.

Comparisons

SYMPUTN assigns numeric values, but SYMPUT assigns character values.
SYMPUTN is available only in SCL programs, but SYMPUT is available in DATA step programs and SCL programs.
SYMPUTN assigns numeric values, but SYMGETN retrieves numeric values.

Example: Storing the Value 1000 in the Macro Variable UNIT When the SCL Program Executes

This statement stores the value 1000 in the macro variable UNIT when the SCL program executes:

call symputn('unit',1000);