R help - Mar 2004 - use of split lines in ess

Hi all

I am very astonished that R generates a "syntax error" when I want to 
split up a line with a backslash, which usually works in any shell script.

R itself generates the "+" symbols at the beginning of following lines
in a splitted line so I've tried with them as well, but also without 
success.

Searching in the h-help archive did not reveal any answer either.

How is this accomplished?

Thanks,
David

it looks like you are wondering about something with ESS.  Could you
be more precise about the exact conditions?  Also, the ess-help
mailing list might be a better place to post.  Version #'s of R, and
if it is an ESS problem, ESS and (X)Emacs would be useful.


"David Andel" <andel at ifi.unizh.ch> writes:
> I am very astonished that R generates a "syntax error" when I
want to
> split up a line with a backslash, which usually works in any shell
> script.
>
> R itself generates the "+" symbols at the beginning of following
lines
> in a splitted line so I've tried with them as well, but also without
> success.
>
> Searching in the h-help archive did not reveal any answer either.
>
> How is this accomplished?
>
> Thanks,
> David
>
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"David Andel" <andel at ifi.unizh.ch> writes:
> I am very astonished that R generates a "syntax error" when I
want to
> split up a line with a backslash, which usually works in any shell
> script.
One way to diminish the astonishment factor when using software is to
try reading the documentation. :-)

The backslash in part of the R syntax (except within quoted strings)
so it generates a syntax error.

If you want to force continuation of an expression to the next input
line then ensure that the partial expression that you type is not
syntactically complete.  Often you can use { or ( on the first line
with the pairing } or ) on the last line.
> R itself generates the "+" symbols at the beginning of following
lines
> in a splitted line so I've tried with them as well, but also without
> success.
> Searching in the h-help archive did not reveal any answer either.
> How is this accomplished?