R devel - Mar 1998 - a handy function "format.cardinal", looking for a proper name..

This is not a nice name (format is generic; cardinal is not a class) for a
nice function, which I would like in several places in R code and therefore
would like to become part of R  (under a better name !)

format.cardinal <- function(i, sep="")
        paste(i,
c("st","nd","rd","th")[pmin(4,i)],
sep=sep)

# Try
format.cardinal(sample(1:20))
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On Thu, 19 Mar 1998, Martin Maechler wrote:
> This is not a nice name (format is generic; cardinal is not a class) for a
> nice function, which I would like in several places in R code and therefore
> would like to become part of R  (under a better name !)
> 
> format.cardinal <- function(i, sep="")
>         paste(i,
c("st","nd","rd","th")[pmin(4,i)],
sep=sep)
> 
> # Try
> format.cardinal(sample(1:20))
Isn't it a problem?
> format.cardinal(22)
[1] "22th"

Philippe
>
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> 
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(from R-core)
> Btw, why can't object names contain a `@'?
> 
> -k
Speaking of names. I've been thinking whether it would not at some
point be wise to introduce namespaces into R. This would pretty
obviously break a lot of S code, but it would also make it possible to
avoid a lot of silly problems such as naming one's variables c, t, pt,
df, rm, ... 

A plan that might work relatively smoothly could involve:

- Separate functions from variables. We already do that to some extent
  ("looking for object of mode function...") [At the same time, one
  might get rid of everyone's favourite quirk: forgetting () and
  thus listing the function instead of calling it. I know: basic
  design, functions are just objects, etc., but really: Wouldn't it be
  nicer to type view(ls) the few times you actually wanted to see its
  contents?]

- All system functions and variables are really named something like
  sys::c() i.e. we introduce a namespace separator ::.
  Functions/variables that are intended for general use can be made
  public, by a special call.

- Assignments (interactive) to an existing public name causes a
  warning to be issued (or maybe an error).


-- 
   O__  ---- Peter Dalgaard             Blegdamsvej 3  
  c/ /'_ --- Dept. of Biostatistics     2200 Cph. N   
 (*) \(*) -- University of Copenhagen   Denmark      Ph: (+45) 35327918
~~~~~~~~~~ - (p.dalgaard@biostat.ku.dk)             FAX: (+45) 35327907

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