Why is this DropZone called "Color"

[#1]

Day 1 with JMP and a user wants to generate a point plot with 2 different colors for male and female:

The easy solution: use the Color Dropzone

The surprise: The Overlay does the same.

The second surprise: "Color" can do more than just "color":
For every entry in the legend, the user gets the possibility to define the Marker Style as well - as well as Size and Transparency.

A lazy user doesn't configure the colors manually - again and again for every single plot and subplot.

One alternative (which I use just very rarely):  row states to specify Colors and Markers.

The disadvantage: 
the legend in Graph Builder doesn't fit.

Another alternative (which I prefer):

define suitable colors via Column Property: Value Columns
Pros:
- meaningful legends - automatically (!)

- separate settings for every column (not via rows)

- I can control (via the Overlay and Color dropzone) where I want to use the setting - and for wich plots I DON'T want to use the setting : )

- I can overwrite the setting for individual entries via the legend right click menu

The 3rd surprise: there is no Column Property: Value Markers *)

Day 2 - the JMP user detects the subtle (and not so subtle) differences between the  Color and Overlay Dropzones:
by adding a smoother:

Now, let's add Color to the plot
suprise 4: with Color via Color, there is just a single fit curve:

... this is when the user remembers surprise #1, tries Overlay, and falls in love with the Overlay dropzone:

So, for scatter plots there is no apparent difference between Color and Overlay - but for other plots it is !!!
And often Overlay is THE way to add color.
Another example:

vs.

Now let's generate another points plot - where there is a difference between Color and Overlay:
Color just adds color to the points, Overlay generates separate plots for every color, overlays them

- and by doing so: hides some girls. -> dangerous!

vs. 

Let's keep the plot as a stacked bubble plot, and with the findings from surprise #2, let's now define Markers for different values
... with the help of the Color Dropzone

[#2]

Day 3: The user likes the non.overlapping points, wants to add some Color (via age)  .. and get the legend right.

[#3]

differences between Overlay and Color:

🙏 Graph Builder: support more than 2 'Color' columns
- > "stay tuned"

Graph Builder - Overlay by multiple columns :
waiting for Kudos

[#4]

new Column Property: Value Markers *)
->  again open for voting

Just imagine how helpful it will be:
- meaningful legends in Graph Builder (compared to the alternative via row states)

- fully automatic + consistent  (compared to assigning markers manually via the legend)

interested?
Follow the link and support the wish with a Kudo.

[#5]

I really like JMP's approach, where a user defines some default settings via column properties - and every new graph is perfect from the start - nothing to change manually. Unfortunately, this approach doesn't work up to 100%.
In most cases I have to manually change the settings to get the graph I want.

Manually changing the settings by right-clicking on the legend is very time consuming. This video demonstrates an alternative approach: Basically ignore the default settings and give the user an interactive GUI to precisely specify the settings for each individual element. Compared to right-clicking on the legend items, it can be orders of magnitude faster to get the graph you want.
The drawback:
- too much flexibility - which can lead to inconsistent settings (can be intentional, like in the video - may be unintentional)
- I have not yet managed to create a meaningful legend for the final graph.

[#6]

for "no zig-zag lines", there exists a wish to automatically implement the functionality in Graph Builder:
Graph Builder: Line - possibility to add breaks 

[#7]

I need this script...please share!