Macro: Check variable length, name, type of multiple tables with similar layout

/* set up list for the tables requied to scan for  the variables */

%let tlst = a b c d e f g;

/* Method 1: use parameter */

/* Generate vairable list for each table */

%macro varlen (sec=);
%let i = 1;
%do %while (%scan(&sec., &i, ‘ ‘) ne );
%let tbl= %scan(&sec., &i, ‘ ‘);
proc contents data = section&tbl._ug out=ug&tbl. (keep= MEMNAME name type length) noprint;
proc contents data = section&tbl._gr out=gr&tbl. (keep= MEMNAME name type length) noprint;
%let i = %eval (&i +1);
%end;
run;
%mend varlen;
%varlen (sec = &tlst.);

/* Method 2: use macro variable list directly */

/* Append varaible lists to one table */
%macro comp ;
%let i = 1;
%do %while (%scan(&tlst., &i, ‘ ‘) ne );
%let tbl= %scan(&tlst., &i, ‘ ‘);
proc append base = uglen  data = ug&tbl.;
run;
%let i = %eval (&i +1);
%end;
%let i = 1;
%do %while (%scan(&tlst., &i, ‘ ‘) ne );
%let tbl= %scan(&tlst., &i, ‘ ‘);
proc append base = grlen  data = gr&tbl.;
run;
%let i = %eval (&i +1);
%end;
proc sort data = uglen;
by name memname;
proc sort data = grlen;
by name memname;
run;
%mend comp;
%comp ;

SAS: Set start and stop for macro variables

Sometimes I need to repeat the same exercise for multiple times, for example faculty want retention rate not just for one year but multiple year, it is easy to use %macro macroname (parameter1, parameter2) in conjunction with %do varname = &value1 &to &value2 to customize the year range in the do loop statement per clients request.

eg;

%macro step (strtyear, stopyear);
%do yr= &strtyear %to &stopyear;

….continue coding

%end;

%mend step;

%step (11, 14);