topic Re: locked column in Discussions

locked column

CowDoc — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 18:42:27 GMT

Help - I have copied and pasted a very large data set from Excel into a new data table. When I insert a new column and attempt to create a new formula for its contents, the column displays a grayed out "locked" and I cannot change it. I have use JMP for years but can't figure out what I did or how to turn this off.

Re: locked column

statman — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 18:46:27 GMT

Any chance you can upload the data table? Can you try importing the excel data table into JMP instead of copy paste? To be clear you pasted a data set into a JMP table and are trying to add a new column and it is already restricted? Also never seen this before. If it is a bug, contact support@jmp.com

Re: locked column

CowDoc — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 18:52:00 GMT

My original data table has 29 columns and 461,295 rows. Everything looks normal until I insert a new column and click on the formula option. It then displays a grayed-out "lock" that I cannot uncheck. I noticed this after I had joined two other large data tables to this one and in my investigation into trying to figure out what happened, I went back to the beginning with the original table before any joins. The problem starts there. I am at a loss and cannot find out what to do and JMP support says that they are having a training session today when I called.

Re: locked column

statman — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 18:56:29 GMT

Are you trying to create a formula column on columns that are locked already? Can you unlock those columns that are to be used in your new column formula before you add the new column formula?

Re: locked column

CowDoc — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 19:03:07 GMT

No, none of my columns are locked; but, when I insert a new column, even before I select an existing column with which to work, when I click on Column Properties and then click on Formula, the "lock" box for that column is automatically checked and grayed-out (I am unable to uncheck it).

Re: locked column

hogi — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 19:08:33 GMT

can you create a subset with "all rows" and "all columns" - without link to the main table.
Can you a a column here?

another try:
from the red-triangle menu of the table, "copy table script" and run it. Works for small tables, but could cause issues with large tables.

After saving and re-opening the table, the column is still locked?

Re: locked column

CowDoc — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 19:18:31 GMT

I have tried everything I know. The problem is present with one of the other two original data tables that I created to join onto the first one. All of them suffer from the same problem. I have copied, resaved, rebooted, etc. and nothing as yet has fixed the problem. I just now created a tiny data table with 3 columns and 12 rows of data, copied it into a new data table and the same problem exists when I insert a new column and try to create a formula.

Re: locked column

txnelson — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 20:31:47 GMT

The data table itself may be locked.

Re: locked column

hogi — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 20:54:23 GMT

Then it's not possible to create a new column.

Re: locked column

hogi — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 20:55:33 GMT

@CowDoc wrote:

I have tried everything I know. The problem is present with one of the other two original data tables that I created to join onto the first one. All of them suffer from the same problem. I have copied, resaved, rebooted, etc. and nothing as yet has fixed the problem. I just now created a tiny data table with 3 columns and 12 rows of data, copied it into a new data table and the same problem exists when I insert a new column and try to create a formula.

can you share this table?