Ross Boylan wrote:
> In the following example, the inner evaluation pulls in the global value
> of subset (a function) rather than the one I thought I was passing in (a
> vector). Can anyone help me understand what's going on, and what I need
> to do to fix the problem?
>
> f0 <- function(formula, data,
> subset, na.action
> )
> {
> f1(formula, data,
> subset, na.action
> )
> }
>
>
> f1 <- function (formula, data,
> subset, na.action
> )
> {
> mf <- match.call()
> mf[[1]] <- as.name("model.frame")
> mf <- eval(mf, parent.frame())
> }
>
>
>> netto <- data.frame(Reading=seq(3), Spec=seq(3), Reader=seq(3))
>> t3 <- f0(Reading~0+Spec+Reader, netto, c(1))
>>
> Error in xj[i] : invalid subscript type 'closure'
>
>> traceback()
>>
> 7: `[.data.frame`(list(Reading = 1:3, Spec = 1:3, Reader = 1:3),
> function (x, ...)
> UseMethod("subset"), , FALSE)
> 6: model.frame.default(formula = formula, data = data, subset = subset,
> na.action = na.action)
> 5: model.frame(formula = formula, data = data, subset = subset,
> na.action = na.action)
> 4: eval(expr, envir, enclos)
> 3: eval(mf, parent.frame())
> 2: f1(formula, data, subset, na.action)
> 1: f0(Reading ~ 0 + Spec + Reader, netto, c(1))
>
> I started with a case in which f0 was called with only 2 arguments
> (i.e., subset was missing), and that is the case I'm ultimately
> interested in. However, even the situation above is failing.
>
> According to resume, the class of subset is numeric in frames 2 and 4,
> but a function in frames 3 and 5. That may be correct for frame 3,
> since it is the evaluation function without a named argument subset (and
> thus it picks up the global value). But it's wrong for 5 (and higher).
>
> eval itself is primitive; I don't understand exactly what is going on
> with the 2 entries for it (frames 3 + 4).
>
>
Yes, this is elusive, but it is not actually eval() that is doing you
in. It is the notion of a model environment, see the last bit of ?formula.
The point is that subset (and offset) arguments are subject to the same
evaluation rules as the terms inside the formula: First look in "data",
then in the environment of the formula, which in this case is the global
environment.
This behaviour is generally a good thing because it prevents you from
accidentally picking up internal variables of f1, but working around it
can be a little painful. As far as I recall, you can use an explicit
substitute of the subset argument.
> R package 2.6.1-1 on Debian GNU/Linux.
>
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>
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