Path variables are shortcuts to directories or files. Rather than enter the entire path to the directory or file, you use the path variable in a script. A path variable is a special type of string and is always contained within double quotation marks.

One common predefined path variable in JMP is $SAMPLE_DATA. This variable points to the sample data folder in your JMP or JMP Pro installation folder. The following example opens the Big Class.jmp sample data table.

To see the definition of any path variable, use the function Get Path Variable:

Note that you don’t include a dollar sign for Set Path Variable() or Get Path Variable(). But you must include the dollar sign when using the variable in a script.

Make sure to include a trailing slash after the path variable. In the following example, the root name "Big Class" is assigned to the dtName variable. The Open() expression evaluates $SAMPLE_DATA and the trailing slash and then appends the dtName value along with the file extension .jmp.