R help - Jul 2005 - Obtaining argument name within a function

Dear all

How can I obtain the name of the argument passed in a function?  Here is a 
simplistic example of what I would like to obtain:

myfunction= function(name) {
     print(paste("The parameter name was",unknownFunction(name))
     }

myfunction(myobject)
[1] "The parameter name was myobject"

Thanks

Francisco

"Francisco J. Zagmutt" <gerifalte28 at hotmail.com>
wrote:
> Dear all
>
> How can I obtain the name of the argument passed in a function? Here is a
> simplistic example of what I would like to obtain:
>
> myfunction= function(name) {
> print(paste("The parameter name was",unknownFunction(name))
> }
>
> myfunction(myobject)
> [1] "The parameter name was myobject"

?substitute

myfunction <- function(obj) {
  paste("The parameter name was", deparse(substitute(obj)))
}

myfunction(myobject)

-- 
Sebastian P. Luque

Francisco,
I had exactly the same question a few days ago. Try the following:
 
z<-function(x)
{
xName <- deparse(substitute(x))
cat(xName)
cat("The parameter name was ",xName,"\n")

}
 
Let me know if this works.
n.b. the \n in the cat function is a signal to print the next piece of
data
on the next line.
 
John
 
John Sorkin M.D., Ph.D.
Chief, Biostatistics and Informatics
Baltimore VA Medical Center GRECC and
University of Maryland School of Medicine Claude Pepper OAIC
 
University of Maryland School of Medicine
Division of Gerontology
Baltimore VA Medical Center
10 North Greene Street
GRECC (BT/18/GR)
Baltimore, MD 21201-1524
 
410-605-7119 
- NOTE NEW EMAIL ADDRESS:
jsorkin@grecc.umaryland.edu
>>> "Francisco J. Zagmutt" <gerifalte28@hotmail.com>
7/18/2005 10:16:53
PM >>>


Dear all

How can I obtain the name of the argument passed in a function?  Here
is a 
simplistic example of what I would like to obtain:

myfunction= function(name) {
     print(paste("The parameter name was",unknownFunction(name))
     }

myfunction(myobject)
[1] "The parameter name was myobject"

Thanks

Francisco

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