Short answer to a very good question: one has to use "function(x) tail(x, 1)" syntax to avoid using the default tail(x, 6). There are some other ways to achieve the same thing, but I think this syntax is generally preferred for its clarity.
Other question: yes I believe so. Michael On Sun, Feb 26, 2012 at 9:06 AM, knavero <knav...@gmail.com> wrote: > Quick newb question about R relating to the line of code below: > > rawCool = read.zoo("cooling.txt", FUN = as.chron, format = "%m/%d/%Y %H:%M", > sep = "\t", aggregate = function(x) tail(x, 1)) > > I'm wondering what the specifics are for the argument where it has > "aggregate = function(x) tail(x, 1)". I understand that it removes the last > row of duplicates/aggregates in the zoo series. I'm confused as to why > "tail(x, 1)", a built in function in the utils package, requires the coder > to treat it as a user written function thus defining the assignment, in this > case an argument, with "function(x)". Why can't the coder just write > "tail(x, 1)" instead? Also, with the argument 'x', within tail, I'm assuming > it's looking at all columns simultaneously within the zoo series? Is that > correct to say? Thanks. > > -- > View this message in context: > http://r.789695.n4.nabble.com/question-about-user-written-function-newb-question-tp4422187p4422187.html > Sent from the R help mailing list archive at Nabble.com. > > ______________________________________________ > 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. ______________________________________________ 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.