R help - Jan 2003 - Elements of a character vector in different colours?

Dear R-List,

is it possible to format elements of a character vector in different colors
and how would this be achieved?

Problem:
Suppose, you have a model for forecasting purposes. Beside the forecast
[variable: 'forecast' in the example below] a forecast interval is also
computed [variable: 'int' in the example below. The forecast should now
be
translated in verbal terms if the forecast interval is below or above a
certain threshold value [in the example below, this value is set to 50]. 
After evaluation the object text should be formatted in either
"green", or
"red", or "black".
 
outcome <- c("positive","negative","neutral")
forecast <- 60
int <- c(55,65)
#
text <- outcome[3]
text[forecast > 50 & int[1] > 50] <- outcome[1]
text[forecast < 50 & int[2] < 50] <- outcome[2]
text

I tried the following

outcome <-
c("positive","negative","neutral")[col=c("green","red","black"]

without success, i.e. three times "na" formatted in green is returned.
I did
also check the former help-emails without finding any pointers to solve my
problem.
As a side note: the object 'text' will be used in the supplementary
package
R2HTML. I want to avoid programming the conditional colouring with ASP by
reading in an ascii-file that holds the value of 'text' and hence not
using
R2HTML at all.

R: 1.61
OS: Windows NT
i386

Any help or hints are warmly appreciated.

Bernhard




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> is it possible to format elements of a character vector in different colors
> and how would this be achieved?
On graphs, with the text() command.  Colour isn't an inherient property
of a character vector.

..
> outcome <-
c("positive","negative","neutral")
> forecast <- 60
> int <- c(55,65)
> #
> text <- outcome[3]
> text[forecast > 50 & int[1] > 50] <- outcome[1]
> text[forecast < 50 & int[2] < 50] <- outcome[2]
> text
By the way, it's a good idea to check if your variable names conflict 
with function names - after you've done the above, try 
> conflicts(text)
> I tried the following
> 
> outcome <-
c("positive","negative","neutral")[col=c("green","red","black"]
> 
> without success, i.e. three times "na" formatted in green is
returned.
Nope.  A syntax error is returned.  Cut-and-paste error?  ;)

I think you'll find the word "green" in the above, and the colour
green
in the NA printout is a coincidence.  Try for yourself, and use
"purple",
or "volvo", or "fish" instead of "green".

Looks like you're a bit shaky on R's vector indexing syntax, and what 
that means.

Text in R is just a vector of characters - there is no formatting, font,
colour, weight, or hyperlink information stored in it.  If you want to supply
colour information, you'll have to provide it some other way.  I've
never
used R2HTML, so I can't help you there.

Hope that clears a few things up.

Jason