Run a script in the web app

In the Minitab web app, you can run Minitab execs and macros.

Minitab Exec

An exec file is a text file that contains a series of Minitab commands. To repeat an analysis without using the Minitab menus or session commands, save the commands as an exec file and then run the file. The easiest way to create an exec file is to save command language from the History pane in the Minitab desktop app.

You can create an exec file in a text editor such as Microsoft® Notepad. Exec files have the .MTB file extension.

To run an exec multiple times for simulations or looping operations, use File > Run an Exec in the Minitab desktop app.

To run an exec in the Minitab web app:

  1. Select Add/Open.
  2. Navigate to the .MTB file in your online repository or on your local machine.
  3. Double-click the file.

Minitab Macro

A macro is a text file that contains a series of Minitab session commands. You can use macros to automate a repetitive task (for example, generating a monthly report) or to extend Minitab's functionality (for example, computing a special test statistic).

Minitab Macros have the .MAC file extension.

For more information about Minitab macros, go to the Macro Library.

Note

The following features are not supported in Minitab on the web at this time: multiple macros (macros that call other macros), opening data files within a macro, and writing to a storage file.

To run a Minitab macro in the Minitab web app:

  1. Select Add/Open.
  2. Navigate to the .MAC file in your online repository or on your local machine and select the file.
  3. In Enter any required arguments (optional), enter any arguments that are needed to run your macro.
    For example, BLANDALT.mac, which is available in the Minitab macro library, produces a Bland-Altman plot of paired data. The macro requires 2 columns of sample data. If the data are in C1 and C2, in Enter any required arguments (optional) enter:
    C1 C2
  4. In Enter any required subcommands with the correct syntax (optional), enter any subcommands that are needed to run your macro.
    For example, you can optionally store the mean of the differences (STMN) and the standard deviation of the differences (STSD) for BLANDALT.mac. To store these values in C4 and C5, in Enter any required subcommands with the correct syntax (optional) enter:
    STMN C4;
    STSD C5.
  5. Click Run.

Commands that are unavailable in the web app

The following commands are not currently supported in exec or macro files in the Minitab web app:

Command Description
CD Display current directory or change current directory to another path
EXEC Run a MTB file
EXIT In macros, transfer control back to interactive Minitab; in execs, exit Minitab
GSAVE Save a graph file
MYME Invoke commands specified on customized My Menu
NEW Create new project
NOOU Stop writing output to an open/active text file
ODBC Import data from a database file
OUTF Save output to a text file
OW Set character width of output
PAUS Shift control to keyboard for interactive user input
PROF Change profile
PYSC Python script command
QUIT Exit Minitab
READ; FILE Import data from a text file into a worksheet (READ is allowed without FILE)
REST Restart Minitab
RESU Resume macro execution from interactive keyboard entry
RETR Retrieve a project file in local macros
TSET; FILE Import data from a text file (TSET is allowed without FILE)
SAVE Save a project file in local macros
SET; FILE Import data from an ASCII file (SET is allowed without FILE)
STOP Exit Minitab
WOPE Open worksheet
WSAV Save worksheet
WRITE; FILE Writes data in the specified columns or constants to a data file (WRITE is allowed without FILE)
XPPO Send output to Microsoft® PowerPoint
XWOR Send output to Microsoft® Word