From rossini@u.washington.edu  Fri Aug 31 13:20:33 2001
From: rossini@u.washington.edu (A.J. Rossini)
Date: 31 Aug 2001 05:20:33 -0700
Subject: [Rd] RFC: type conversion in read.table
In-Reply-To: <Pine.GSO.4.31.0108311309340.28183-100000@auk.stats>
References: <Pine.GSO.4.31.0108311309340.28183-100000@auk.stats>
Message-ID: <87y9o08lpq.fsf@jeeves.blindglobe.net>

>>>>> "BDR" == Brian D Ripley <Prof> writes:


    >> I would also be happier if we did not refer to the variables
    >> explicitly as `columns'.  (This sounds a bit stupid from the
    >> person who wrote write.table and introduced arguments
    >> `row.names' and `col.names'.  Although, at least one of these
    >> was modelled after an existing function).  E.g. something like
    >> 
    >> read.table(......, caseNames, varNames, varClasses, .....)
    >> 
    >> would be nice ...

    BDR> The problem is that what is being referred to *is* columns
    BDR> and not variables.  If you have row names on the file, the
    BDR> numbering is different.  So it matters to use sufficiently
    BDR> precise terminology.

I would tend to agree with Brian.  To me, caseNames / varNames
sounds a rather bit arrogant, since there are a number of other
"formats" (contingency tables come to mind) for which read.table is
one possible way for slurping in the data prior to munging it, though
I guess one could argue that this is an abuse of tools.

best,
-tony

-- 
A.J. Rossini				Rsrch. Asst. Prof. of Biostatistics
U. of Washington Biostatistics		rossini@u.washington.edu	
FHCRC/SCHARP/HIV Vaccine Trials Net	rossini@scharp.org
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[Rd] RFC: type conversion in read.table
A.J. Rossini