How to Access Built-in Windows

What if you just want your script to open a built-in window? Perhaps you want the user to locate a data table or launch a platform. To present a JMP window, simply omit required arguments from the JSL command for the task. Some examples:

dt=Open(); // File > Open window

dt<<Summary(); // Tables > Summary window

myFit=Fit Y by X(); // Analyze > Fit Y by X launch window

myChart=Chart(); // Graph > Chart launch window

For modal windows such as Open(), further script execution waits until the modal window is dismissed. Whenever JMP encounters a script to launch a platform that lacks column assignments and that requires column assignments, the platform’s launch window appears, to get column assignments, but continues with the script immediately. That is, JMP does not wait for answers, as in the case of Open(), and other modal dialog boxes. See the chapter Scripting Platforms, for more about launching platforms.

Using the Pick Windows

You can prompt the user to select a directory using the Pick Directory command. The command displays a platform-specific window in which the user selects a folder. On Windows, the optional prompt string appears at the top of the Browse for Folder window.

path = Pick Directory ("Select a directory.");

To let the user select a file, use the Pick File() command:

path = Pick File(

<"prompt message">, <"initial directory"> <{filter list}>,

<first filter>, <save flag>, <"default file">,

<multiple>);

The "prompt message" is used as the window title. The "initial directory" defines which folder initially appears. If a directory is defined as an empty string, the default directory is used.

You can also define the {filter list} used for the Open() window, forcing it to show only certain file types. This list must use the following syntax:

{"Label1|suffix1;suffix2;suffix3", "Label2|suffix4;suffix5"}

For example:

{"JMP Files|jmp;jsl;jrn", "All Files|*"}

Each quoted string adds an entry to the File name list in the Open() window. Label defines the text that is displayed for each menu option. The following list of suffixes defines the file types that are displayed if its corresponding label is selected. Note the use of "*" to list all files in the window.

Pick File(

"Select JMP File",

"$SAMPLE_DATA",

{"JMP Files|jmp;jsl;jrn",

"All Files|*"},

1, 0, "newJmpFile.jmp");

Tip: All arguments are optional, however, they are also positional. This means that you can leave out arguments only at the end of the script. Use empty strings for the arguments that you want to omit from the beginning of the script.

The script below does not set the default directory nor the default file:

Pick File(

"Select JMP File",

"",

{"JMP Files|jmp;jsl;jrn",

"All Files|*"},

1, 0, "");

The <first filter> argument sets the default selection where n is the index for the list item. In the script above, the <first filter> is the first item in the list.

If the <Save Flag> is false, the window is an File Open window; if <Save Flag> is true, the window is a Save File window. If <Save Flag> is false, the "Multiple" argument to allow opening multiple files using the one window:

Pick File(

"Select JMP File",

"",

{"JMP Files|jmp;jsl;jrn",

"All Files|*"},

1, 0, "", "multiple");

Note: The buffer size in the computer’s physical memory affects the number of files the user can open.

Files in Directory

To obtain a list of filenames in a specific directory, use the Files In Directory command.

names = Files In Directory(path, <recursive>);

Both filenames and subdirectory names are returned as shown in the following example:

names = Files In Directory("$SAMPLE_DATA");

{ "2D Gaussian Process Example.jmp", "Abrasion.jmp", ... "Design Experiment", "Detergent.jmp", ... }

Notice that the files within the Design Experiment subdirectory are not included. And only files in the root $SAMPLE_DATA directory are listed.

To return a list of all file names, add the optional recursive argument to Files In Directory:

names = Files In Directory("$SAMPLE_DATA", recursive);

{ "2D Gaussian Process Example.jmp", "Abrasion.jmp", ... "Design Experiment/2x3x4 Factorial.jmp", "Design Experiment/Borehole Factors.jmp", ... }

To get the full pathnames, recurse the directories and concatenate the file paths and file names. The following example loops through each file in the $SAMPLE_DATA directory and subdirectories. The file path is concatenated to each file name.

names = Files In Directory("$SAMPLE_DATA", recursive);

For( i = 1, i <= N Items(names), i++,

names[i] = Convert File Path("$SAMPLE_DATA") || names[i] );

names;

{"/C:/Program Files/SAS/JMP/12/Samples/Data/2D Gaussian Process Example.jmp",

"/C:/Program Files/SAS/JMP/12/Samples/Data/Abrasion.jmp", ... }

The Files in Directory command accepts native and POSIX paths, as well as paths using path variables. See Path Variables in Types of Data for details on working with paths.