In this post I take a look at how JSL can be used to perform string manipulation.
Category Archives: Tips&Tricks
Transparency
Here’s a handy little function to apply a transparency effect to a solid (r,g,b) colour:
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TransparentRGB = function({r,g,b,opacity=0.65},{default local}, red = opacity*r + (1-opacity); green = opacity*g + (1-opacity); blue = opacity*b + (1-opacity); return(RGBColor(red,green,blue)); ); |
File Handling
The JMP scripting language has a number of convenient functions for handling files external to JMP. Here’s an example:
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// purge the temporary folder files = filesIndirectory(tmpDir); for (i=1,i<=nItems(files),i++, path = convertFilePath(files[i],base(tmpDir)); if (!isDirectory(path), deleteFile(path) ) ); |
Code Folding
Code folding allows you to collapse a block of code – you can use it to focus on high-level structure without getting lost in the detail.
To enable code folding enable to option under the Script Editor section of Preferences, found under the File menu.
I use it with my user-defined functions to give me an overview of contents within an include file. Combined with appropriately placed comments this helps to summarise the contents of a library of functions. Here is an example:
Calculating dppm
In my last post I introduced the idea of using the JSL script editor as a simple command line calculator; and prior to that I discussed how process capability indices (Cp,Cpk) are a convenient shorthand notation but suffer from lack of transparency. Today I will bring these two themes together by showing how I can use the JSL script editor to calculate defective parts per million (dppm) for a given set of capability indices Cp and Cpk.
The Script Editor as a Calculator
You don’t need to be a programmer to make productive use of the JSL script editor. The editor can be used by non-programmers as a simple command-line calculator that provides access to JMP’s library of mathematical and statistical functions.
The Prediction Profiler’s Hidden Secret
It turns out that the prediction profiler has a hidden secret. And not just some easter egg feature that is just a bit of fun. This secret is core to how you use the profiler – and might just totally change how you use it in future.
Handling Column References
JSL is often described as a scripting language. Personally I think that doesn’t do it justice. I prefer to think of it as a programming language. The difference? For me an obvious difference is that instead of using hard-coded values I want to use variables. In particular I want to use variables to handle column references.
The Power of Journals
If you have ever been to a JMP Discovery Summit or perhaps a JMP user group meeting you will no doubt have come across journal files. The first time you create one can be an unnerving experience since a new journal is simply a blank window. But that is their beauty: they are a blank canvass onto which you can save your JMP output. But more importantly they are a place to capture your thoughts.
Scripting Table Subsets
The best way to script table manipulation tasks such as joins and subsets is to first perform the task interactively and then make a copy of the source JSL that is automatically generated by JMP. In many instances this code is sufficient, but sometimes you need to make the code more general, and that’s where things can get tricky.
In this post I will take you through the process of transforming the JMP-generated code into a more flexible piece of JSL.