You could alternatively use:

...
MD (temppath)
...

instead of using the macro substitution. This can also keep you out of trouble when you are calling a command and the macro substitution string has embedded spaces which can be interpreted as additional command syntax.

When using macro substitution with a period (as when referencing an alias or property), then you must use two periods (..); i.e.,

MD &pdmVar..temppath

The macro substitution will stop (and consume) the first period; the second period provides for the second part of the value.