topic Re: Running a script after making a change. Not working without closing and re-opening the script -why? in Discussions

Running a script after making a change. Not working without closing and re-opening the script -why?

Neo — Fri, 09 Jun 2023 19:57:35 GMT

I am learning JSL and getting a behaviour which I do not think I got when I started. I would like to know if this behaviour is expected or if it is occurring due to a setting change I may have made inadvertently.

I have a simple "main" script which calls a function and another script. When I open JMP fresh and run fresh the main script or the other function/scripts it calls, all of them run fine and produce expected results. However, they do not work when I make a change in any of them (e.g. if I comment the script which is included in the main script, e.g. the last line below). If I close all the open scripts then re-fire them they work again. Coming from other programming languages I do not expect such a behaviour. Any direction is much appreciated

Examples of my mainscript below (I am on JMP13).

getDataTable = getDataTable4partID("partID","partIDname");
include ("plotallcharts.jsl");
include ("generateJournal.jsl");

Commenting the last line above (or if I uncomment clear log ()) i.e.

//clear log ();
getDataTable = getDataTable4partID("partID","partIDname");
include ("plotallcharts.jsl");
//include ("generateJournal.jsl");

gives me the following error in the above script

Name Unresolved: getDataTable4partID in access or evaluation of 'getDataTable4partID' , getDataTable4partID( "partID", "partIDname" ) /*###*/

Closing all open scripts and functions (and sometimes JMP) and firing back them again seems to get everything working again. Not sure what is going on....

Any direction is much appreciated.

Re: Running a script after making a change. Not working without closing and re-opening the script -why?

txnelson — Sun, 26 Sep 2021 20:00:54 GMT

In your example, I do not see where you define the function

getDataTable4partID

JSL is an interpreted language, and requires the creation of any items referenced in the code, prior to the calling of it. It is not a compiled language, which first passes through all of the code and identifying functions etc. Now what can be confusion is that once the function is defined, it will remain in memory and available until it is cleared with a

clear symbols();
// or
clear globals();

If you follow through your code with this in mind, you may see why your JSL cannot find the function.

Re: Running a script after making a change. Not working without closing and re-opening the script -why?

Neo — Sun, 26 Sep 2021 20:41:24 GMT

Thanks @txnelson.

Here is the function

getDataTable4partID

Are you suggesting that I use

clear symbols();
// clear globals();

at the top of my main script?

If yes, then I have tired it without any change in behaviour.

Also, I forgot to mention above that when the main script does not run (after making a change in it) and I need to restart JMP to make the script run as expected again, I also need to run the function my main script is calling, once, without which my main script does not run. This is clearly an undesirable behaviour and I worry that I am not doing things properly.

Re: Running a script after making a change. Not working without closing and re-opening the script -why?

txnelson — Sun, 26 Sep 2021 20:39:07 GMT

Your should start your whole script with:

Names Default to Here( 1 );
Clear Symbols();

This will stabilize the Namespace environment and clear out all of the previous values, thus starting you fresh each time you run the code from the top.

Re: Running a script after making a change. Not working without closing and re-opening the script -why?

Neo — Sun, 26 Sep 2021 21:44:53 GMT

Thanks @txnelson. OK so this is what I did and now my scripts and functions are not working even after closing and re-running or after restarting JMP.

My main script

Names Default to Here( 1 );
Clear Symbols();
getDataTable = getDataTable4partID("partID","partIDname"); 
include ("plotallcharts.jsl"); 
include ("generateJournal.jsl");

My function is (without database details)

Names Default to Here (1)
getDataTable4PartID = Function({PartID}, {dtTemp},
	dtTemp = Open Database("connectionstring",
		"select '" || PartID || "' as value
		from dual",
		PartID
	);
	return(dtTemp);
);

and my script

plotallcharts.jsl;

also has its fist line as

Names Default to Here (1)

I am still getting the error

Name Unresolved: getDataTable4partID in access or evaluation of 'getDataTable4partID' , getDataTable4partID( "partID", "partIDname" ) /*###*/

but sometimes the log is not showing anything upon running the main script.

Re: Running a script after making a change. Not working without closing and re-opening the script -why?

txnelson — Sun, 26 Sep 2021 21:46:13 GMT

Names Default to Here( 1 );
Clear Symbols();
getDataTable = getDataTable4partID("partID","partIDname"); 
include ("plotallcharts.jsl"); 
include ("generateJournal.jsl");

I assume that this is your first section of your code. Correct?

Your third line in the code is looking for a function called "getDataTable4partID". That function has not been defined when the code attempts to run that line. You need to have the function definition executed before it can be called.

Re: Running a script after making a change. Not working without closing and re-opening the script -why?

Neo — Sun, 26 Sep 2021 22:10:40 GMT

@txnelson

The function getDataTable4partID has been defined, saved and executed. It was working as expected before.

No longer and also not working are the main script calling it or the other included script in the main script.

Re: Running a script after making a change. Not working without closing and re-opening the script -why?

Neo — Mon, 27 Sep 2021 14:44:57 GMT

Adding

include ("getDataTable4partID.jsl");

before the function call (getDataTable4partID.jsl being the name of the function script)

getDataTable = getDataTable4partID("partID","partIDname");

i.e.

Names Default to Here( 1 );
Clear Symbols();
include (''getDataTable4partID.jsl");
getDataTable = getDataTable4partID("partID","partIDname"); 
include ("plotallcharts.jsl"); 
include ("generateJournal.jsl");

seems to have solved all the issues. What is the reason?

Re: Running a script after making a change. Not working without closing and re-opening the script -why?

txnelson — Mon, 27 Sep 2021 15:24:30 GMT

The function needs to be parsed before it can be called. The JSL interpreter steps down through the code one line at a time. If it has not stepped through the function code before you attempt to call that function, JSL will stop. The same is true for all variable etc. in JSL. Thus:

Names Default to Here( 1 );
Clear Symbols();
print( a );
a = 42;

Will fail with

Name Unresolved: a in access or evaluation of 'a' , a/*###*/

at line 3 in Script 4.jsl

While

Names Default to Here( 1 );
Clear Symbols();
a = 42;
print( a );

will run without error

Re: Running a script after making a change. Not working without closing and re-opening the script -why?

Neo — Mon, 27 Sep 2021 19:49:16 GMT

Please excuse me for my ignorance, but is this your explanation for why I need to use

include ("getDataTable4partID.jsl");

for my function call to work?

Re: Running a script after making a change. Not working without closing and re-opening the script -why?

txnelson — Mon, 27 Sep 2021 19:52:41 GMT

Yes, the getDataTable4partID function must be parsed by JSL prior to you being able to call it. The include statement, reads in the function, and loads it into memory. Once it is in memory, it can be called.