R help - Jan 2008 - using an element of an array as a new object

I have an array called filesBox. I want to take each element of the first
column and assign a dataset to it.

For example :

filesBox[4,1]  returns

[1] "fileR"

Then I want to assign "fileR" which exists as a text file to the R
object
"fileR" like this :
filesBox[4,1] <- read.table(paste(dir2, filesBox[4,1], sep=""),
header FALSE)

But this doesn't work because filesBox[4,1] is an element of an array but I
want it as a new R (effectively) data frame.

Any ideas please ?
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See ?assign.

ppaarrkk wrote:
> I have an array called filesBox. I want to take each element of the first
> column and assign a dataset to it.
> 
> For example :
> 
> filesBox[4,1]  returns
> 
> [1] "fileR"
> 
> Then I want to assign "fileR" which exists as a text file to the
R object
> "fileR" like this :
> filesBox[4,1] <- read.table(paste(dir2, filesBox[4,1],
sep=""), header > FALSE)
> 
> But this doesn't work because filesBox[4,1] is an element of an array
but I
> want it as a new R (effectively) data frame.
> 
> Any ideas please ?

I would work with 2 different objects to be safe (you can rename the 2nd
after everything works if you want).

Try something like:
> filesBox2 <- array( list(), dim(filesBox) )
> filesBox2[4,1] <- read.table(paste(dir2, filesBox[4,1],
sep=""),
header = FALSE)
.
.
.

Hope this helps,

-- 
Gregory (Greg) L. Snow Ph.D.
Statistical Data Center
Intermountain Healthcare
greg.snow at imail.org
(801) 408-8111
 
 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: r-help-bounces at r-project.org 
> [mailto:r-help-bounces at r-project.org] On Behalf Of ppaarrkk
> Sent: Wednesday, January 16, 2008 9:16 AM
> To: r-help at r-project.org
> Subject: [R] using an element of an array as a new object
> 
> 
> I have an array called filesBox. I want to take each element 
> of the first column and assign a dataset to it.
> 
> For example :
> 
> filesBox[4,1]  returns
> 
> [1] "fileR"
> 
> Then I want to assign "fileR" which exists as a text file to 
> the R object "fileR" like this :
> filesBox[4,1] <- read.table(paste(dir2, filesBox[4,1], 
> sep=""), header > FALSE)
> 
> But this doesn't work because filesBox[4,1] is an element of 
> an array but I want it as a new R (effectively) data frame.
> 
> Any ideas please ?
> --
> View this message in context: 
> http://www.nabble.com/using-an-element-of-an-array-as-a-new-ob
> ject-tp14884435p14884435.html
> Sent from the R help mailing list archive at Nabble.com.
> 
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> PLEASE do read the posting guide 
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> and provide commented, minimal, self-contained, reproducible code.
>

Thankyou for the replies.

assign() works.

for (i in 1:7)
assign(filesBox[i,1],read.table(paste(dir2, filesBox[i,1], sep=""),
header FALSE))


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