XML Code for the Import Individual Text, CSV, or Excel Files Process

8      Reexamine the dialog shown in Figure 8 as you consider the following comments and the relevant XML code.

The GUI for the Import Individual Text, CSV, or Excel Files process shows a common description of the process and general directions for its use. Following this description are three tabbed panes (General, Options, and Wide Data) that divide the functional parameters of the process into discrete sections. Finally a set of functional buttons, common to all JMP Genomics processes, are found at the bottom of the GUI.

Now let's consider the XML code for this process, which specifies the graphical user interface. This code is named DataImportEngine.xml and is located in the same folder as the SAS code.

Note: Only relevant portions of the XML code are shown here. To examine all of the XML code for this process, navigate to the ProcessLibrary folder and open the DataImportEngine.xml file using a text editing program.

• The name of the process is defined by the first line of the XML code, as shown below.

• The first description block (below), which provides an introduction to the process and overall guidance for its usage, appears verbatim at the top of the GUI. Placing the description here keeps it in view no matter how many tabbed panes are incorporated into the GUI.

• The XML code for each tabbed pane is sequestered between <sdstabbedpane></sdstabbedpane> tags. The Import Individual Text, CSV, or Excel Files process has three tabbed panes. The XML code for the Options pane is shown below.

• Each of the process variable name= attributes specifications exactly matches a member of the %global = list specifications in the SAS program file. This is the mechanism by which the two files are linked.
• The tags and attributes for each input parameter define how they are presented in the GUI.
• Each description block generates online help that appears in the GUI when the user clicks on the icon to the right of the parameter entry field.
• The GUI parameter widgets appear in the dialog in the order that they are specified.
• Finally, there is no XML code for the functional buttons located at the bottom of the GUI (shown below). These buttons are generated automatically when the Generate Dialogs from XML command is invoked.

Next: Creating a JSL File for Dynamic Graphics and Analyses