Many column names, search for part of column name string

[#1]

Hello,

I have been at this for a day or two now and cannot seem to reach a solution. I have a large amount of columns names and wish to write a script that will "look" at each column name and identify if the first couple characters are the characters I have specified. The list of column names have a series of, varying, first 3 characters, for example: "XX." "YY." "ZZ.". What my overall intentions are to search through these columsn and group columns in groups that have :  "XX." "YY." "ZZ." etc..

[#2 · Accepted solution]

This should get you started.

// Create a table to test things out on

dt = New Table( "Test", Add Rows( 3 ),

    New Column( "XX1", Numeric, Continuous, Format( "Best", 12 ), Set Values( [1, 2, 3] ) ),

    New Column( "XX2", Numeric, Continuous, Format( "Best", 12 ), Set Values( [1, 2, 3] ) ),

    New Column( "YY1", Numeric, Continuous, Format( "Best", 12 ), Set Values( [1, 2, 3] ) ),

    New Column( "YY2", Numeric, Continuous, Format( "Best", 12 ), Set Values( [1, 2, 3] ) )

);

// List of column names for the table

col_names = dt << get column names(string);

// Empty list to be populated with found columns

found_list = {};

// String we're looking for

looking_for = "YY";

// Loop over all column names, looking for ones that start with "YY"

for (i = 1, i <= nitems(col_names), i++,

    if (starts with(col_names[i], looking_for),

        insertinto(found_list, col_names[i]);

    );

);

print(found_list);

[#3]

PMroz,

Thank you very much for your help. I tested it and it seems to be generating the list that I wanted.  I was not aware of the "starts with" or "insertinto" commands, i am pretty new to JSL. I was looking for some kind of 'InString' character function, which does not seem to exist.  Another question, now that my column names are stored in a list/row vector, can I now store them into a group? Just to make the user interface on the JMP table a little easier to look at? Thanks again for the help.

[#4]

The instring equivalent in JSL is contains.  The menu option Help > Scripting Index is very helpful, btw.

This code groups each set of XXs and YYs into separate groups.

// Create a table to test things out on

dt = New Table( "Test", Add Rows( 3 ),

    New Column( "XX1", Numeric, Continuous, Format( "Best", 12 ), Set Values( [1, 2, 3] ) ),

    New Column( "XX2", Numeric, Continuous, Format( "Best", 12 ), Set Values( [1, 2, 3] ) ),

    New Column( "YY1", Numeric, Continuous, Format( "Best", 12 ), Set Values( [1, 2, 3] ) ),

    New Column( "YY2", Numeric, Continuous, Format( "Best", 12 ), Set Values( [1, 2, 3] ) )

);

// List of column names for the table

col_names = dt << get column names(string);

// String we're looking for

group_list = {"XX", "YY"};

// Loop over column groups

for (i = 1, i <= nitems(group_list), i++,

// Empty list to be populated with found columns

    found_list = {};

    one_group = group_list[i];

// Loop over all column names, looking for ones that start with "YY"

    for (k = 1, k <= nitems(col_names), k++,

        if (starts with(col_names[k], one_group),

            insertinto(found_list, col_names[k]);

        );

    );

    if (nitems(found_list) > 0,

        dt << group columns(one_group, found_list);

    );

);

[#5]

Thank you again, it seems to work on my test data table! I was trying to use the Word function with a delimiter and generate a list from there,  but your method is a lot better. Also, thank you for the tip about the 'Scripting Index' that is very helpful. I have been using the Scripting Guide, but the index is great. I can see I have a so much to learn and I appreciate all of your help to get me started.