SAS Certified Professional Prep Guide

Controlling Variable Scope

Scope of Macro Variables

Every macro variable has a scope.

Macro variable scope can either be global or local. Global macro variables can be created at any time during a SAS session, can persist for the duration of the SAS session, and can be referenced anywhere in the SAS session except for the DATALINES statement. To remove a global macro variable from memory within a SAS session, you must explicitly delete it using a %SYMDEL statement.

Local macro variables are created only during execution of a macro program, persist only as long as the macro is executing, and therefore can be referenced only while the macro is executing. When a macro terminates execution, its local symbol table is automatically deleted.