I think of quote(something) as being equivalent to expression(something)[[1]].
eval() goes through the outermost expression layer > eval(expression(expression(noSuchFunction(noSuchValue)))) expression(noSuchFunction(noSuchValue)) > eval(eval(expression(expression(noSuchFunction(noSuchValue))))) Error in eval(expr, envir, enclos) : could not find function "noSuchFunction" so I don't think you will ever see a difference between eval(quote(something)) and eval(expression(something)). Any low level function other than eval will treat them differently. Bill Dunlap Spotfire, TIBCO Software wdunlap tibco.com > -----Original Message----- > From: r-help-boun...@r-project.org > [mailto:r-help-boun...@r-project.org] On Behalf Of Bert Gunter > Sent: Friday, February 19, 2010 11:10 AM > To: 'blue sky'; r-h...@stat.math.ethz.ch > Subject: Re: [R] What is the difference between expression > and quote whenusedwith eval()? > > > as.list(expression( 2*3)) > [[1]] > 2 * 3 > > > as.list(quote( 2*3)) > [[1]] > `*` > > [[2]] > [1] 2 > > [[3]] > [1] 3 > > > identical(as.list(expression( 2*3))[[1]],quote(2*3)) > [1] TRUE > > expression() wraps the call into an expression object (as > pointed out to me > by Gabor Grothendieck). > > Bert Gunter > Genentech Nonclinical Statistics > > -----Original Message----- > From: r-help-boun...@r-project.org > [mailto:r-help-boun...@r-project.org] On > Behalf Of blue sky > Sent: Friday, February 19, 2010 9:43 AM > To: r-h...@stat.math.ethz.ch > Subject: [R] What is the difference between expression and quote when > usedwith eval()? > > I made the following example to see what are the difference between > expression and quote. But I don't see any difference when they are > used with eval()? Could somebody let me know what the difference is > between expression and quote? > > > expr=expression(2*3) > quo=quote(2*3) > > eval(expr) > str(expr) > class(expr) > typeof(expr) > mode(expr) > attributes(expr) > > eval(quo) > str(quo) > class(quo) > typeof(quo) > mode(quo) > attributes(quo) > > ______________________________________________ > 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. > ______________________________________________ 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.