R help - Aug 2004 - newbie question: how to read a file into a matrix

I am trying to read a file with 8 columns and about 200 rows into a
matrix.  I tried something like:
x<-matrix(data="data.txt", nrow=200, ncol=8) but this produces a
matrix with "data.txt" in it.  Is there a way to read the data in?

Any pointers in the right direction would be appreciated.  Thank you!

Gaby Aguilera wrote:
> I am trying to read a file with 8 columns and about 200 rows into a
> matrix.  I tried something like:
> x<-matrix(data="data.txt", nrow=200, ncol=8) but this produces
a
> matrix with "data.txt" in it.  Is there a way to read the data
in?
> 
> Any pointers in the right direction would be appreciated.  Thank you!
> 
You should read "R Data Import/Export" (and the posting guide).

http://cran.r-project.org/doc/manuals/R-data.pdf

What you are looking for is ?read.table or ?scan. Also read ?matrix 
while you are at it.

x <- matrix(scan("data.txt"), nrow = 200, ncol = 8)

--sundar

Hi,

	-----Original Message-----
	From:	r-help-bounces at stat.math.ethz.ch
[SMTP:r-help-bounces at stat.math.ethz.ch] On Behalf Of Gaby Aguilera
	Sent:	Thursday, August 26, 2004 5:47 PM
	To:	r-help at stat.math.ethz.ch
	Subject:	[R] newbie question: how to read a file into a
matrix
> matrix with "data.txt" in it.  Is there a way to read the data
in?
> 
> Any pointers in the right direction would be appreciated.  Thank you!
> 
	The pointer in the right direction is the bottom of each message:
read the posting guide. And there it says you should at least read the
relevant section in "An Introduction to R" which is shipped with every
distribution of R. So please read section 7 there.
	What you probably want to do is:
	### assuming you are working on Windows
	x <- read.table("c:\\mydatafolder\\data.txt", sep=",",
header=TRUE)
	# depending on your separator and whether you have variable names 

	For some more information you may also check the "R Data
Import/Export Manual" also included in every distribution of R.

	Best,
	Roland




+++++
This mail has been sent through the MPI for Demographic Rese...{{dropped}}

Please read the "R Data Import/Export" manual. 
It should be on your harddisk and it is also available from  
http://cran.r-project.org/doc/manuals/R-data.pdf

Arne

On Thursday 26 August 2004 17:47, Gaby Aguilera wrote:
> I am trying to read a file with 8 columns and about 200 rows into a
> matrix.  I tried something like:
> x<-matrix(data="data.txt", nrow=200, ncol=8) but this produces
a
> matrix with "data.txt" in it.  Is there a way to read the data
in?
>
> Any pointers in the right direction would be appreciated.  Thank you!
>
> ______________________________________________
> R-help at stat.math.ethz.ch mailing list
> https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-help
> PLEASE do read the posting guide!
> http://www.R-project.org/posting-guide.html
-- 
Arne Henningsen
Department of Agricultural Economics
University of Kiel
Olshausenstr. 40
D-24098 Kiel (Germany)
Tel: +49-431-880 4445
Fax: +49-431-880 1397
ahenningsen at agric-econ.uni-kiel.de
http://www.uni-kiel.de/agrarpol/ahenningsen/

On Thu, 2004-08-26 at 16:47, Gaby Aguilera wrote:
> I am trying to read a file with 8 columns and about 200 rows into a
> matrix.  I tried something like:
> x<-matrix(data="data.txt", nrow=200, ncol=8) but this produces
a
> matrix with "data.txt" in it.  Is there a way to read the data
in?
> 
> Any pointers in the right direction would be appreciated.  Thank you!
> 
Hi,

Read the R manuals ... and use function "read.table" or similar.

EJ

I think was better you read something on "R data Import/Export"
(base documentation available for all R distribution).

A.S.

----------------------------

Alessandro Semeria
Models and Simulations Laboratory
Montecatini Environmental Research Center (Edison Group),
Via Ciro Menotti 48,
48023 Marina di Ravenna (RA), Italy
Tel. +39 544 536811
Fax. +39 544 538663
E-mail: alessandro.semeria at cramont.it