Glossary
autocall facility
a feature of SAS that enables you to store the source statements that define a macro
and to invoke the macro as needed, without having to include the definition in your
program.
autocall macro
a macro whose uncompiled source code and text are stored in an autocall macro
library. Unlike a stored compiled macro, an autocall macro is compiled before
execution the first time it is called.
command-style macro
a macro that is defined with the CMD option in the %MACRO statement.
constant text (model text)
the character strings that are stored as part of a macro or as a macro variable's value
in open code, from which the macro processor generates text to be used as SAS
statements, display manager commands, or other macro program statements.
dummy macro
a macro that the macro processor compiles but does not store.
global macro variable
a macro variable that can be referenced in either global or local scope in a SAS
program, except where there is a local macro variable that has the same name. A
global macro variable exists until the end of the session or program.
global scope
in SAS macro programming, indicates broad context boundaries for referencing
global macro variables anywhere within the current SAS session or SAS batch
program.
input stack
the most recently read line of input from a SAS program and any text generated by
the macro processor that is awaiting processing by the word scanner.
keyword parameter
a type of macro parameter that is identified by its name, followed by an equal sign.
Multiple keyword parameters can be provided in any order, and must follow any
positional parameters.
481
local macro variable
a macro variable that is available only within the macro in which it was created and
within macros that are invoked from within that macro. A local macro variable
ceases to exist when the macro that created it stops executing.
local scope
in SAS macro programming, indicates narrowed context boundaries for referencing
local macro variables within the current macro.
logical expression
a type of macro expression that consists of a sequence of logical operators and
operands. A logical expression returns a value of either true or false when it is
executed.
macro
a SAS catalog entry that contains a group of compiled program statements and stored
text.
macro call (macro invocation)
a statement that invokes a stored compiled macro program.
macro compilation
the process of converting a macro definition from the statements that you enter to a
form that is ready for the macro processor to execute. The compiled macro is then
stored for later use in the SAS program or session.
macro execution
the process of following the instructions that are given by compiled macro program
statements in order to generate text, to write messages to the SAS log, to accept
input, to create or change the values of macro variables, or to perform other
activities. The generated text can be a SAS statement, a SAS command, or another
macro program statement.
macro expression
any valid combination of symbols that returns a value when it is executed. The three
types of macro expressions are text, logical, and arithmetic. A text expression
generates text when it is resolved (executed) and can consist of any combination of
text, macro variables, macro functions, and macro calls. A logical expression
consists of logical operators and operands and returns a value of either true or false.
An arithmetic expression consists of arithmetic operators and operands and returns a
numeric value.
macro facility
a component of Base SAS software that you can use for extending and customizing
SAS programs and for reducing the amount of text that must be entered in order to
perform common tasks. The macro facility consists of the macro processor and the
macro programming language.
macro function
a function that is defined by the macro facility. Each macro function processes one or
more arguments and produces a result.
macro invocation
a statement that invokes a stored compiled macro program.
482 Glossary
macro language
the programming language that is used to communicate with the macro processor.
macro parameter
a local macro variable that is defined within parentheses in a %MACRO statement.
You supply values to a macro parameter when you invoke a macro.
macro processor
the component of SAS software that compiles and executes macros and macro
program statements.
macro quoting
a function that tells the macro processor to interpret special characters and
mnemonics as text rather than as part of the macro language.
macro variable (symbolic variable)
a variable that is part of the SAS macro programming language. The value of a
macro variable is a string that remains constant until you change it.
macro variable reference
a string that contains the name of a macro variable that is referenced in order to
substitute a value that is located or defined elsewhere.
model text
the character strings that are stored as part of a macro or as a macro variable's value
in open code, from which the macro processor generates text to be used as SAS
statements, display manager commands, or other macro program statements.
name-style macro
a macro that is named and defined with the %MACRO statement.
null value
a special value that indicates the absence of information. Null values are analogous
to SAS missing values.
open code
the part of a SAS program that is outside any macro definition.
positional parameter
a type of macro parameter that is named (using comma delimiters) in the %MACRO
statement at invocation, and is defined in the corresponding position (again using
comma delimiters) in the macro execution statement.
quoting
the process that causes the macro processor to read certain items as text rather than
as symbols in the macro language. Quoting is also called removing the significance
of an item and treating an item as text.
quoting function
a macro language function that performs quoting on its argument.
reserved word
a name that is reserved for use by an internal component of a software application
and which therefore cannot be assigned by a user of that application to any type of
data object.
Glossary 483
returned value
a value that is the result of the execution of a function.
SAS compilation
the process of converting statements in the SAS language from the form in which
you enter them to a form that is ready for SAS to use.
SAS variable (variable)
a column in a SAS data set or in a SAS data view. The data values for each variable
describe a single characteristic for all observations (rows).
session compiled macro
a macro that the macro processor compiles and stores in a SAS catalog in the WORK
library. These macros exist only during the current SAS session. Unlike stored
compiled macros, session compiled macros cannot be called in any other SAS
session.
statement-style macro
a macro that is defined with the STMT option in the %MACRO statement.
stored compiled macro
a macro program that was compiled in a previous session and which was stored in a
permanent directory. Unlike session compiled macros, stored compiled macros can
be called in any SAS program.
symbol table
the area in which the macro processor stores all macro variables and macro statement
labels for a particular scope.
symbolic substitution
the process of resolving a macro variable reference (&variable-name)to its value.
symbolic variable
a variable that is part of the SAS macro programming language. The value of a
macro variable is a string that remains constant until you change it.
text expression
a type of macro expression that generates text when it is resolved (executed). The
text expression can include any combination of text, macro variables, macro
functions, and macro calls.
token
in the SAS programming language, a collection of characters that communicates a
meaning to SAS and that cannot be divided into smaller functional units. A token
such as a variable name might look like an English word, but can also be a
mathematical operator, or even an individual character such as a semicolon. A token
can contain a maximum of 32,767 characters.
tokenizer
the part of the word scanner that divides input into tokens (also called words).
unquoting
the process of restoring the meaning of a quoted item.
484 Glossary
variable
a column in a SAS data set or in a SAS data view. The data values for each variable
describe a single characteristic for all observations (rows).
word scanner
the component of SAS that examines all tokens (words) in a SAS program and
moves the tokens to the correct component of SAS for processing.
Glossary 485
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