This week we covered the topics of SAS Macros language. SAS Macro language can be a very versatile and useful way to process data in SAS efficiently. SAS Macros allow for programs that are more dynamic and can manipulate data faster. SAS macros are made up of macro variables and macro programs which together form commands that can supplement the SAS program. Some of the more common Macro commands are %PUT, %RETURN, and %END.
Although macro language can make programming easier by solving the problem of having to re-enter the same code multiple times, and can allow for more efficient data manipulation, it is notoriously a more difficult topic in learning SAS. Macros are complex and difficult to master. I definitely found myself getting frustrated with the macro language as I went through the course material this week. It requires extreme attention to detail and a thorough understanding of the commands built into the language as well as the output being generated. I found myself Nevertheless, once macro language is mastered, I can certainly see it being a useful resource when completing projects that involve repeated use of a single command, like those that we did in the last project involving opioid prescriptions in North Carolina.
