your two dataframe defintions are different. In the case of df1, you have 'names' the elements, and in the case of df2,you have done an assignment to 'nam' and 'num' (look in the workspace and you will see the object. Since you haven't names the elements in df2, is tries to constuct a name from the expressions that is given (e.g., nums = c(3, 2, 1, 1, 2, 3, 7)), so you get.
This is what happens: > make.names("nums <- c(3, 2, 1, 1, 2, 3, 7)") [1] "nums.....c.3.....2.....1....1....2.....3..7." It tries to make a name from the expression. On 10/2/07, John Kane <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > This is just a curiosity question. Why do the two > different syntaxes for df1 and df2 give such different > results in the names(dfx)? > > Thanks > > > df1 <- data.frame(nas = c("A", "B" , "B" ,"C" ,"B", > "A", "D"),nums = c(3, 2, 1, 1, 2, 3, 7)) > > df2 <- data.frame(nas <- c("A", "B" , "B" ,"C" ,"B", > "A", "D"),nums <- c(3, 2, 1, 1, 2, 3, > 7)) > > df1; df2 > > >df1 > nas nums > 1 A 3 > 2 B 2 > . . > > > df2 > > nas....c..A....B....B....C....B....A....D.. > nums....c.3..2..1..1..2..3..7. > 1 A > 3 > 2 B > > 3 > . . > > ______________________________________________ > R-help@r-project.org mailing list > https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-help > PLEASE do read the posting guide http://www.R-project.org/posting-guide.html > and provide commented, minimal, self-contained, reproducible code. > -- Jim Holtman Cincinnati, OH +1 513 646 9390 What is the problem you are trying to solve? ______________________________________________ R-help@r-project.org mailing list https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-help PLEASE do read the posting guide http://www.R-project.org/posting-guide.html and provide commented, minimal, self-contained, reproducible code.