SAS Macro Language: Reference

Automatic Macro Variables

Automatic macro variables are created by the macro processor and they supply a variety of information. They are useful in programs, for example to check the status of a condition before executing code. When you use automatic macro variables, you reference them the same way that you do macro variables that you create, for example &SYSLAST or &SYSJOBID.

CAUTION:: Do not create macro variable names that begin with SYS. The three-letter prefix SYS is reserved for use by the SAS System for automatic macro variables. For a complete list of reserved words in the macro language, see Appendix 1, Reserved Words in the Macro Facility.

For example, suppose you want to include today's day and date in a FOOTNOTE statement. Write the statement to reference the automatic macro variables SYSDAY and SYSDATE9, as shown here:

footnote "Report for &sysday, &sysdate9";

If you run the program on June 15, 2001, macro variable resolution causes the SAS System to see this statement:

FOOTNOTE "Report for Friday, 15JUN2001";

All automatic variables except for SYSPBUFF are global and are created when you invoke the SAS System. Automatic Macro Variables lists the automatic macro variables and describes their READ and WRITE status.

Automatic Macro Variables
Variable READ/WRITE Status

SYSBUFFR read/write

SYSCC read/write

SYSCHARWIDTH read only

SYSCMD read/write

SYSDATE read only

SYSDATE9 read only

SYSDAY read only

SYSDEVIC read/write

SYSDMG read/write

SYSDSN read/write

SYSENV read only

SYSERR read only

SYSFILRC read/write

SYSINDEX read only

SYSINFO read only

SYSJOBID read only

SYSLAST read/write

SYSLCKRC read/write

SYSLIBRC read/write

SYSMENV read only

SYSMSG read/write

SYSPARM read/write

SYSPBUFF read/write

SYSPROCESSID read only

SYSPROCESSNAME read only

SYSRC read/write

SYSSCP read only

SYSSCPL read only

SYSSITE read only

SYSSTARTID read only

SYSSTARTNAME read only

SYSTIME read only

SYSUSERID read only

SYSVER read only

SYSVLONG read only

***Automatic Macro Variables***
Variable	READ/WRITE Status
SYSBUFFR	read/write
SYSCC	read/write
SYSCHARWIDTH	read only
SYSCMD	read/write
SYSDATE	read only
SYSDATE9	read only
SYSDAY	read only
SYSDEVIC	read/write
SYSDMG	read/write
SYSDSN	read/write
SYSENV	read only
SYSERR	read only
SYSFILRC	read/write
SYSINDEX	read only
SYSINFO	read only
SYSJOBID	read only
SYSLAST	read/write
SYSLCKRC	read/write
SYSLIBRC	read/write
SYSMENV	read only
SYSMSG	read/write
SYSPARM	read/write
SYSPBUFF	read/write
SYSPROCESSID	read only
SYSPROCESSNAME	read only
SYSRC	read/write
SYSSCP	read only
SYSSCPL	read only
SYSSITE	read only
SYSSTARTID	read only
SYSSTARTNAME	read only
SYSTIME	read only
SYSUSERID	read only
SYSVER	read only
SYSVLONG	read only

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