Col Min() & Col Max() for Character columns

john_madden

I'm interested in a function that would behave analogously to how Col Min()/Col Max() does, including allowing grouping variables; but instead of operating on numeric columns, it would operate on Character columns. For example:

• "Col Min Str( :Data, :Grouping)" would return the alphabetically first entry from :Data, grouped by :Grouping.
• "Col Max Str(:Data, :Grouping)" would return the alphabetically last entry from :Data, grouped by :Grouping.

Ideas?

txnelson

I think this provides what you want

names default to here(1);
dt=open("$SAMPLE_DATA/big class.jmp");

dt << New Column( "Max Name by Sex",
	Character,
	Nominal,
	Formula(
		Col Max Str = Function( {data, by},
			dt = Current Data Table();
			testBy = Column( dt, by )[Row()];
			Eval(
				Parse(
					"rr = dt << get rows where( :" || by || " == \!"" || testBy ||
					"\!" );"
				)
			);
			myList = As List( Column( dt, data )[rr] );
			myList = Sort List( myList );
			myList[N Items( myList )];
		);
		result = Col Max Str( "Name", "Sex" );
	)
);

dt << New Column( "Min Name by Sex",
	Character,
	"Nominal",
	Formula(
		Col Min Str = Function( {data, by},
			dt = Current Data Table();
			testBy = Column( dt, by )[Row()];
			Eval(
				Parse(
					"rr = dt << get rows where( :" || by || " == \!"" || testBy ||
					"\!" );"
				)
			);
			myList = As List( Column( dt, data )[rr] );
			myList = Sort List( myList );
			myList[1];
		);
		result = Col Min Str( "Name", "Sex" );
	)
);