topic Can JMP launch an excel.xlsm file? in Discussions

Can JMP launch an excel.xlsm file?

Martin — Fri, 09 Jun 2023 19:48:29 GMT

Is JMP jsl able to "launch" an Excel .xlsm (macro'ed) file, such that it essentially "double clicks" the file to open it and does not try to import it?

I am using an Excel macro for database extraction because it is 100X faster than the JMP ODBC extraction tool and would like my jsl code to run the macro'ed file.

Thanks in advance!

Re: Can JMP launch an excel.xlsm file?

txnelson — Fri, 04 Jun 2021 11:10:48 GMT

See the function

in the Scripting Index

Re: Can JMP launch an excel.xlsm file?

Martin — Fri, 04 Jun 2021 14:08:03 GMT

Thanks @txnelson , but I am not sure this is the answer. If I do not know where the "Excel.exe:" is kept on someone else's computer, how can I share my script with others?

Re: Can JMP launch an excel.xlsm file?

ih — Fri, 04 Jun 2021 21:27:32 GMT

If you know everyone is on windows or has Powershell installed you can use Run Program to open the file using the default program defined by the OS:

Re: Can JMP launch an excel.xlsm file?

Martin — Mon, 07 Jun 2021 13:32:33 GMT

Let's say I want to open a file called "Test.xlsx" that is located at "C:\Users\Me\Desktop\". What would the code look like?

I have tried the following but it does not seem to work:

rp0 = Run Program(
	Executable( "Excel.EXE" ),
	Options("C:\Users\Me\Desktop\test"),
	Read Function("text")
);

Re: Can JMP launch an excel.xlsm file?

ih — Mon, 07 Jun 2021 14:23:30 GMT

Give this a try:

/* 	Function: openFileInOSDefault
		Open file in the operating system default program
		
		Include this once at the top of your script
		
	Arguments: 
		filepath - local path file
*/
openFileInOSDefault = Function({filepath},
	If( Host is( "Windows" ),
		Run Program(
			Executable( "PowerShell.exe" ),
			Options(
				Eval Insert( "\[-Command "& {Start-Process '^filepath^'}"]\" )
			),
			Read function( "text" )
		);
	,
		RunProgram(
			Executable( "/usr/bin/open" ),
			Options( filepath ),
			ReadFunction( "text" )
		)
	);
);

//Now in your script you can just call the function
openFileInOSDefault("C:\Users\Me\Desktop\test")

Re: Can JMP launch an excel.xlsm file?

Martin — Mon, 07 Jun 2021 18:22:05 GMT

I get this error, thoughts?

"Start-Process : This command cannot be run due to the error: The system cannot find the file specified.
At line:1 char:4
+ & {Start-Process 'C:\Users\Me\Desktop\test'}
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+ CategoryInfo : InvalidOperation: (:) [Start-Process], InvalidOperationException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : InvalidOperationException,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.StartProcessCommand

"

Re: Can JMP launch an excel.xlsm file?

ih — Tue, 08 Jun 2021 11:35:20 GMT

Woops, I missed the file extension in the last line:

/* 	Function: openFileInOSDefault
		Open file in the operating system default program
		
		Include this once at the top of your script
		
	Arguments: 
		filepath - local path file
*/
openFileInOSDefault = Function({filepath},
	If( Host is( "Windows" ),
		Run Program(
			Executable( "PowerShell.exe" ),
			Options(
				Eval Insert( "\[-Command "& {Start-Process '^filepath^'}"]\" )
			),
			Read function( "text" )
		);
	,
		RunProgram(
			Executable( "/usr/bin/open" ),
			Options( filepath ),
			ReadFunction( "text" )
		)
	);
);

//Now in your script you can just call the function
openFileInOSDefault("C:\Users\Me\Desktop\test.xlsx")

Re: Can JMP launch an excel.xlsm file?

Martin — Tue, 08 Jun 2021 12:44:33 GMT

This is perfect and works like a charm!

@ih, thanks for your help.