Scripting Guide - SAS

Chapter 2 Introduction 33
Terminology
Continuous Distribution( Column( :height ) ),
Continuous Distribution( Column( :weight ) )
);
Both scripts give the same result.
Feel free to experiment with JSL. If you think something ought to be possible, it probably is. Give it a try,
and see what happens.
Terminology
Before you begin creating scripts, you should become familiar with basic JSL terms used throughout this
book.
Operators and Functions
An operator is one- or two-character symbol (such as + or =) for common arithmetic actions.
A function is a command that might contain additional information for the function to use.
Certain JSL functions work the same as operators but provide access to more complex actions. For example,
the following two lines are equivalent:
2 + 3;
Add( 2, 3 );
The first line uses the + operator. The second line uses the Add() function equivalent.
Although all JSL operators have function equivalents, not all functions have operator equivalents. For
example, Sqrt(a) can be represented only by the Sqrt() function.
Note: In previous versions of JMP and its documentation, the terms operators and functions were used
interchangeably. Now each term has a specific meaning.
Objects and Messages
An object is a dynamic entity in JMP, such as a data table, a data column, a platform results window, a graph,
and so on. Most objects can receive messages that instruct the object to perform some action on itself.
A message is a JSL expression that is directed to an object. That object knows how to evaluate the message. In
the following example, dt is the data table object.