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JSL: How to find the data table that a column belongs to?

Jeff_Perkinson

I'm trying to write a JSL function that takes a column reference and creates new columns in the data table that the column belongs to.

Since all I have is a column reference (e.g. Column("x")) how do I figure out what data table that column belongs to so I can make sure to create the columns in the proper table?

Here's an example of what I'm trying to create:

colPlus3=function({col},
eval(substitute(expr(
	new column("plus 3", formula(as column(c) + 3))), expr(c), col
)));

open ("$SAMPLE_DATA\Big Class.jmp");
open("$SAMPLE_DATA\Fitness.jmp");

colPlus3(column(data table("Big Class.jmp"), "Age"));

Notice that when you run this that the new column is added to the Fitness table. I want it added to Big Class.

Anyone have any ideas?

Accepted answers

Craige_Hales

Thanks Jeff. This has bothered me for a long time, so starting tomorrow, you can have it your way in JMP 14.

Ask a column object what table it belongs to

As far as I can tell there is not a way to do this without the new column object message.

All comments

MikeD_Anderson

This works:

colPlus3 = Function( {dt, col},
	Eval(
		Substitute(
				Expr(
					tt << New Column( "plus 3", formula( As Column( c ) + 3 ) )
				),
			Expr( tt ), dt,
			Expr( c ), col
		)
	)
);

dt1 = Open( "$SAMPLE_DATA\Big Class.jmp" );
dt2 = Open( "$SAMPLE_DATA\Fitness.jmp" );

Wait( 0 );

colPlus3( dt1, Column( dt1, "Age" ) );

Is that what you were looking for?

Jeff_Perkinson

Thanks, Mike.

I'm hoping not to have to ask users of my function to have to specify the data table.

If that's the only option then I will, but I'd like to figure out the data table from the column reference if possible.

DonMcCormack

How is the column reference coming into the script? I'm assuming that it's determined run-time, which means that the user has to indicate which column they want. If that's the case, there should be a way to grab the reference when it's selected by the user. I'm frequently using something like

tblRef = Current Data Table();

at the top of the script, since most of the tip the script is applied to the last table the user touches. This way, the column reference Column(tblRef,columnName) is unambiguous. If this is not the case, there still must be a way that the column reference gets passed to the script.

Don

Jeff_Perkinson

Thanks, @DonMcCormack.

At the request of a user I'm re-writing my Text To Columns add-in to make the heart of it a function that can be called through JSL outside of the UI of the add-in. I'm trying to make it robust and don't want to have to ask the user to pass the data table along with the column (since the column implies the data table). Nor do I want to use Current Data Table() since that's a bad assumption.

Again, if there's no way to get back to the data table given a column reference I'll be forced to add a data table argument to the function call but that seems like a kludge.

DonMcCormack

How about this?:

colPlus3=function({tblRef,colName},
   Eval(
       Substitute(
           Expr(tblRef << new column("plus 3", formula(colRef + 3))),
           Expr(colRef), Parse(colName)
       )
   )
);

open ("$SAMPLE_DATA\Big Class.jmp");
open("$SAMPLE_DATA\Fitness.jmp");

colPlus3(data table("Big Class.jmp"), "Age");

DonMcCormack

Use this, instead

colPlus3=function({tblRef,colName},
   Eval(
       Substitute(
           Expr(tblRef << new column("plus 3", formula(As Column(colRef) + 3))),
           Expr(colRef), Column(tblRef,colName)
       )
   )
);

The last version won't work when special characters are part of the column name, this will.

Nate_Riordan

Heya Jeff,

Working through the script written in the Text To Columns add-in it seems to both define the table to be worked on as the current data table:

	Tables(
		DataTable1 = GuiTable(
			Set Path( "" ),
			Set Label( "" ),
			Set Location( "Current Data Table" ),
			Set Invisible( 0 )
		)
	),

as well as utilizing the command 'current data table()':

Current Data Table() << delete column( nc );

Verifying the form of operation by running the app explicitly from the code it does not prompt for a data table, but rather operates on the current data table.

Other segments indicating use of current data table:

textCol = Col List Box( DataTable1, All );

OnOK = Function( {}, 
	// This function will be called when the OK button is
	// pressed

	texttocolumns(
		textcol << get selected,
		delim << get text
	);

TextToColumns = Function( {cols, delimiters},

Correct me on this, but from what I'm reading even though the texttocolumns function does not explicitly call out the data table, due to the other functions utilized that end up calling the function, the current data table is the method by which the data table inheritance (or perhaps parentage) is defined.

Is there additional information in the request indicating that it must not assume operation is to execute on the current data table? It seems logical to me that someone calling the function as a script would have the assumption that it operate on the present data table.

Craige_Hales

Thanks Jeff. This has bothered me for a long time, so starting tomorrow, you can have it your way in JMP 14.

Ask a column object what table it belongs to

As far as I can tell there is not a way to do this without the new column object message.

Jeff_Perkinson

Thanks, @Craige_Hales. I was afraid that would be the case.

I'll add a data table argument to my function for now.

@Nate_Riordan, I'm re-writing the add-in to create a texttocols(column, delimiters) function that can be called from any arbitrary JSL program – it won't launch the GUI. As a result the function shouldn't rely on the current data table. I was hoping that I could avoid asking any JSL scripter using my function to specify the data table since the column reference implies a data table but as pointed out above, JMP 13 doesn't have a way to do that.

Thanks to all for thinking about this with me.