R 3.2.4
OS X and Windows
Colleagues,
I distribute some code to co-workers and I am trying to simplify their task.
The issue is as follows:
1. The code automates an extensive set of processes. Many of the steps are
standardized. However, some of the steps may require that users write snippets
of code, stored in R scripts.
2. If users write their own code, it might appear in files named UserCode1.R,
UserCode2.R, etc.. The master code checks for the existence of this code, then
executes
source(“/path/to/UserCode1.R”)
This can occur at many different points in the master code (each time sourcing
a different file).
In addition to the command above, there are a variety of other commands testing
whether the file exists and whether it contains certain commands that I don’t
allow the user to execute.
In order to simplify the code, these commands are embedded in a function (which
I will call MODIFYCODE for the moment).
3. Assume that an object within the master code is named TEMP. The user might
add a column to TEMP. Since this occurs within a function, there are two ways
to get this modification back to the original environment:
a. within the function: TEMP <<- TEMP
b. use the return value from the function:
TEMP <- MODIFYCODE()
4. There are disadvantages to each of these:
a. The user needs to know that the “<<-“ command must be invoked. If
they don’t do so, the changes within the function are not available in the
master environment
b. I don’t know what code will be written by the user, i.e., they
might manipulate TEMP or they might create a new object or something else. So,
I don’t know a priori what to return.
So, my question is: is there some way to manipulate environments such that the
changes within the function are AUTOMATICALLY transferred to the environment
outside the function?
Dennis
Dennis Fisher MD
P < (The "P Less Than" Company)
Phone / Fax: 1-866-PLessThan (1-866-753-7784)
www.PLessThan.com <http://www.plessthan.com/>
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