R devel - Jan 2011 - format scientific + plotmath potential bug

I have run into a potential bug somewhere between format (specifically 
scientific notation) and plotmath that results in displaying:
	$1e+01^{2e+00}$
instead of
	$10^2$

Reproduce by:
	plot.new()
	a=format(10, scientific=TRUE)
	mtext(expression(10^2), line=1) # looks like $1e+01^{2e+00}$
	10 # this fixes the problem on the next line
	mtext(expression(10^2), line=2) # looks like $10^2$

I can narrow the trigger somewhat further by replacing the "a=..."
line
with:
	a=.Internal(format(10, FALSE, NULL, 0L, NULL, 3L, TRUE, TRUE))
Tracing this call into the C started giving me a headache, so I'm hoping 
that one of the R core gurus can confirm & file a bug report if necessary.

I ran into this on Ubuntu / Lucid using R version 2.10.1 (2009-12-14).
I confirmed it still exists in R 2.12.1 (2010-12-16) on a fresh install 
of Ubuntu / Maverick.

Thanks,
Philip

On 17/01/2011 5:06 PM, Philip Johnson wrote:
> I have run into a potential bug somewhere between format (specifically
> scientific notation) and plotmath that results in displaying:
> 	$1e+01^{2e+00}$
> instead of
> 	$10^2$
>
> Reproduce by:
> 	plot.new()
> 	a=format(10, scientific=TRUE)
> 	mtext(expression(10^2), line=1) # looks like $1e+01^{2e+00}$
> 	10 # this fixes the problem on the next line
> 	mtext(expression(10^2), line=2) # looks like $10^2$
>
> I can narrow the trigger somewhat further by replacing the
"a=..." line
> with:
> 	a=.Internal(format(10, FALSE, NULL, 0L, NULL, 3L, TRUE, TRUE))
> Tracing this call into the C started giving me a headache, so I'm
hoping
> that one of the R core gurus can confirm&  file a bug report if
necessary.
>
> I ran into this on Ubuntu / Lucid using R version 2.10.1 (2009-12-14).
> I confirmed it still exists in R 2.12.1 (2010-12-16) on a fresh install
> of Ubuntu / Maverick.
Yes, I see this too in R-devel and 2.12.1.  Definitely a bug, and I've 
submitted it to the bug system:

https://bugs.r-project.org/bugzilla3/show_bug.cgi?id=14477

If you want to be kept up to date about fixes you can add yourself to 
the CC list there.

Duncan Murdoch