R help - Oct 2007 - How to make own function load automatically on startup

Dear list members,

I have written a function, called say Analysis. I supply an Excel file
name as an argument, it does analysis on this file and returns a pdf
file with specific plots, and a text file with several statistical
models' output (I extract certain values from the output and create my
own custom dataframe with output).

As of now I have to open the script file and load the function by hand
every time I start R. I want to make it load automatically into the
environment when I start R. How can I make this happen?

Also, is there a simple way to combine plots and my custom dataframe
with model output in one pdf file? I do use LaTeX, but my collegues
who want to run this function as well do not know what LaTeX is. So I
wonder if I can avoid LaTeX when creating this combined PDF file?
(Avoid in the sense that one does not have to fiddle with LaTeX
itself).

Finally, another small question.
My code contains following snippet: "xlsReadWrite::read.xls", this is
because another package I load masks read.xls function and :: help me
to select correct read.xls. I guessed this use of :: but I would
really like to know what :: is and where can I read more about this
function?

Thank you very much in advance for your time and help!

-- 
Jonas Malmros
Stockholm University
Stockholm, Sweden

Regarding your first issue:
you could make a package to contain your function (see ?package.skeleton
and the manual "Writing R extensions") - then you could use
library(yourpackagename).  Or you could save the definition of your
function(s) in a text file, and use source("textfilename") to load the
definition(s) after you start R.

Regarding your third issue:
see help("::")

On Sat, 27 Oct 2007, Jonas Malmros wrote:
> Dear list members,
>
> I have written a function, called say Analysis. I supply an Excel file
> name as an argument, it does analysis on this file and returns a pdf
> file with specific plots, and a text file with several statistical
> models' output (I extract certain values from the output and create my
> own custom dataframe with output).
>
> As of now I have to open the script file and load the function by hand
> every time I start R. I want to make it load automatically into the
> environment when I start R. How can I make this happen?
>
> Also, is there a simple way to combine plots and my custom dataframe
> with model output in one pdf file? I do use LaTeX, but my collegues
> who want to run this function as well do not know what LaTeX is. So I
> wonder if I can avoid LaTeX when creating this combined PDF file?
> (Avoid in the sense that one does not have to fiddle with LaTeX
> itself).
>
> Finally, another small question.
> My code contains following snippet: "xlsReadWrite::read.xls",
this is
> because another package I load masks read.xls function and :: help me
> to select correct read.xls. I guessed this use of :: but I would
> really like to know what :: is and where can I read more about this
> function?
>
> Thank you very much in advance for your time and help!
>
> --
> Jonas Malmros
> Stockholm University
> Stockholm, Sweden
>
> ______________________________________________
> R-help at r-project.org mailing list
> https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-help
> PLEASE do read the posting guide
http://www.R-project.org/posting-guide.html
> and provide commented, minimal, self-contained, reproducible code.
>

>
> My code contains following snippet: "xlsReadWrite::read.xls",
this is
> because another package I load masks read.xls function and :: help me
> to select correct read.xls. I guessed this use of :: but I would
> really like to know what :: is and where can I read more about this
> function?
> help("::")
-- 
Regards,
Hans-Peter

	[[alternative HTML version deleted]]

Thanks, Hans-Peter,

But still, this is quite difficult to understand for non-initiated.
What do expressions "exported variable" and "internal
variable" mean?
What is "name space"? In LAYMAN terms. Thanks in advance!

On 10/29/07, Hans-Peter <gchappi at gmail.com>
wrote:
>
> > My code contains following snippet:
"xlsReadWrite::read.xls", this is
> > because another package I load masks read.xls function and :: help me
> > to select correct read.xls. I guessed this use of :: but I would
> > really like to know what :: is and where can I read more about this
> > function?
>
> > help("::")
>
> --
> Regards,
> Hans-Peter

-- 
Jonas Malmros
Stockholm University
Stockholm, Sweden