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macros.yaml

Leverage macros to reuse code in your Profiles project.

2 minute read

Macros are reusable blocks of code that can be used in a Profiles project as a form of templating. They operate similar to functions in that you can reuse them with different parameters, reducing repetition and making the code more modular.

Define macros

You can define macros in the macros.yaml file in the model folder, and call them within any other profiles.yaml file.

macros:
    - name: macro_name          # Required
      inputs:                   # Required
          - list_of_parameters
      value: "code as string" # Required

Key	Description
`name` Required	Name of the macro - you can use it to call the macro.
`inputs`	Parameters for the macro.
`value` Required	Macro code in a string format.

Syntax

The syntax for Profiles macros is largely based on pongo2. The basic principles of writing a macro are as follows:

Macros operate on the YAML code itself, generating new code before execution. The inputs are parameters for adding strings at compile-time, expanding the reusability of the macro.
Input parameters are surrounded by double curly brackets (e.g. {{input}})
Control logic (if, else, endif) is defined within {% and %}.
Reserved inputs words are this and warehouse.

Example

# Macro with one input
  - name: array_agg
    inputs:
        - column_name
    value: "array_agg( distinct {{column_name}})"

# Macro with two inputs
  - name: macro_listagg
    inputs:
        - column
        - timestamp
    value: "LISTAGG({{column}}, ',') WITHIN group (order by {{timestamp}} ASC)"

# Macro with no inputs
  - name: frame_clause
    value: "frame_condition = 'rows between unbounded preceding and unbounded following'"

# Define If/Else logic
  - name: macro_listagg
    inputs:
        - column
        - timestamp
    value: "{% if warehouse.DatabaseType() == \"bigquery\" %} STRING_AGG({{column}}, ',' ORDER BY {{timestamp}} ASC) {% else %} LISTAGG({{column}}, ',') WITHIN group (order by {{timestamp}} ASC) {% endif %}"

# Define more complex logic
  - name: macro_datediff
    inputs:
        - column
    value: "
        {% if warehouse.DatabaseType() == \"bigquery\" %}
          {% if !(end_time|isnil) %} date_diff(date('{{end_time.Format(\"2006-01-02 15:04:05\")}}'), date({{column}}), day)
          {% else %} 
          date_diff(CURRENT_DATE(), date({{column}}), day){% endif %}
        {% else %}
          {% if !(end_time|isnil) %} datediff(day, date({{column}}), date('{{end_time.Format(\"2006-01-02 15:04:05\")}}'))
          {% else %} 
          datediff(day, date({{column}}), GETDATE()) {% endif %}
        (% endif %)"

# Use macro in a feature definition in the profiles.yaml file
- entity_var:
  name: all_anonymous_ids
  select: "{{ array_agg(anonymous_id) }}"
  from: inputs/rsIdentity

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