topic Re: Ho to handle cryptic Column names? in Discussions

Ho to handle cryptic Column names?

hogi — Thu, 08 Feb 2024 06:40:18 GMT

In my data table, I have thousands of cryptic column names.

Is there a possibility to facilitate work with the table (human readable names) - but keep the data table compatible with the incoming data (keep cryptic names).

e.g.

- alternative column name in the preferences

- replace column names with name from notes

- extend "search for notes"?

Column Manager in Jmp18 already helps a bit:

Names Default to Here(1);
dt = Open( "$SAMPLE_DATA/Big Class.jmp" );
Data Table( "Big Class" ):height << Set Name( "FDGDGD_645643545343_h" )<< Set Property( "Notes", "height" );
Data Table( "Big Class" ):weight << Set Name( "DFGDGD_435435343_w" )<< Set Property( "Notes", "weight" );

Re: Ho to handle cryptic Column names?

jthi — Thu, 08 Feb 2024 06:02:43 GMT

You could create mapping table and use that to go back and forth with Recode

Columns can also have multiple names but no idea how to access those expect by changing the language (x-id seems the most interesting here)

New Column(["en" => "name", "ja" => "名前", "x-id" => "S_name_Col", "zh-CN" => "姓名"],
	Character,
	"Nominal",
	Set Property(
		"Notes",
		["en" => "...usually used as a label variable in plots",
		"ja" => "散布図のラベル変数として使用する。",
		"x-id" => "S_usually_used_as_a_label_variable_Not",
		"zh-CN" => "...通常用作图中的标签变量"]
	),
	Set Selected,
	Set Display Width(0)
)

You can also add your own, but again no idea how to access those (except from the column script)

Names Default To Here(1);

dt = New Table("");
dt << New Column(["en" => "test", "x-id" => "TEST2", "AAA" => "BBB"]);
Show(Arg(column(1) << get script));

Re: Ho to handle cryptic Column names?

txnelson — Thu, 08 Feb 2024 06:45:15 GMT

What I have done in the past, is to create a new Column Property, called something like, "Alt Name, and then save a simple script to the data table, which upon running takes the Alt Name for each column and makes it the column name, and then saves the old column name as the Alt Name Column Property.

Re: Ho to handle cryptic Column names?

hogi — Thu, 08 Feb 2024 08:28:46 GMT

Script to toggle between two versions of column names - that's a cool workaround :)

I am surprised that there is no official solution ... in Jmp #17 /2024

Maybe it will be added in a future release?

here is the wish:

Re: Ho to handle cryptic Column names?

hogi — Fri, 09 Feb 2024 13:55:33 GMT

@jthi just highlighted another Wish from 2020:

let's hope that Jmp developers will see the benefit.