R help - Nov 2008 - as.numeric in data.frame, but only where it is possible

Hi,

I would like to convert my "character" sequences in my matrix/
data.frame into "numeric" where it is possible.
I would also like to retain my alphabetic character strings in their
original forms.
"5.1"     >   5.1
"hm"     >  "hm"

k<-matrix(c("aa", "bb", 1,2, 4.3, 0), nrow=2)
mode(k) <- "numeric"
# ln1  coerces numeric chars into "character"  and
# ln2  replaces alphabet chars with NA  (with warnings)
#   => OK as matrix can't have mixed types

k<-matrix(c("aa", "bb", 1,2, 4.3, 0), nrow=2)
g<-as.data.frame(k, stringsAsFactos=FALSE)
g[,2]
# returns:
# [1] 1 2
# Levels: 1 2
# hm... let them be levels then...

sum(g[,2])
# going down in flames

g[,2] <- as.numeric(g[,2])
sum(g[,2])
# is the winner of the day,
# but I have a hunch that there must be something more trivial/general
solution.

- I'm looking for something like, as.data.frame(...
as.numeric.if.possible=TRUE) ,
if possible.
- Mainly, I don't know in advance if a column has alphabetical or
numeric characters.
-  I have relatively large matrices (or a relatively slow PC) (max
100,000 x 100 "cells"), if that matters

*** *** *** *** ***
Another related problem of mine is to create data.frames with mixed
types (it should be possible, shouldn't it).

d<-data.frame("b"=seq(1,3))
d<-cbind(a,b)
typeof(d)
# "d" was coerced into "character"


any help is greatly appreciated,

gabor

Hello,


On 26 Nov 2008 at 22:53, Kinoko wrote:

> Hi,
>
> I would like to convert my "character" sequences in my matrix/
> data.frame into "numeric" where it is possible.
> I would also like to retain my alphabetic character strings in their
> original forms. "5.1"     >   5.1 "hm"     > 
"hm"
>
> k<-matrix(c("aa", "bb", 1,2, 4.3, 0), nrow=2)
> mode(k) <- "numeric"
> # ln1  coerces numeric chars into "character"  and
> # ln2  replaces alphabet chars with NA  (with warnings)
> #   => OK as matrix can't have mixed types
Perhaps there is a simpler solution, but this should work:

 k <- matrix(c("aa", "bb", 1 ,2, 4.3, 0), nrow=2)

 write.table(k,"'xx.txt", col.names=TRUE, row.names=FALSE,
sep="'\t", quote=FALSE)
 k <- read.table("xx.txt", header=TRUE, sep="\t")
 summary(k)

>
> k<-matrix(c("aa", "bb", 1,2, 4.3, 0), nrow=2)
> g<-as.data.frame(k, stringsAsFactos=FALSE)
> g[,2]
> # returns:
> # [1] 1 2
> # Levels: 1 2
> # hm... let them be levels then...
>
> sum(g[,2])
> # going down in flames
>
> g[,2] <- as.numeric(g[,2])
> sum(g[,2])
> # is the winner of the day,
> # but I have a hunch that there must be something more trivial/general
> solution.
>
> - I'm looking for something like, as.data.frame(...
> as.numeric.if.possible=TRUE) ,
> if possible.
> - Mainly, I don't know in advance if a column has alphabetical or
> numeric characters. -  I have relatively large matrices (or a
> relatively slow PC) (max 100,000 x 100 "cells"), if that matters
>
> *** *** *** *** ***
> Another related problem of mine is to create data.frames with mixed
> types (it should be possible, shouldn't it).
>
> d<-data.frame("b"=seq(1,3))
> d<-cbind(a,b)
> typeof(d)
> # "d" was coerced into "character"


## In this case you can do:

 a <- c("aa", "bb", "cc")
  d <- data.frame(a=a, b=seq(1, 3))
  summary(d)

## or

  d <- data.frame(b=seq(1, 3))
   d$a <- c("aa", "bb", "cc")
    summary(d)


>
>
> any help is greatly appreciated,
>
> gabor
>
> ______________________________________________
> R-help@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.
>

--
Héctor Villalobos <hvillalo@ipn.mx>
 CICIMAR - IPN
 La Paz, Baja California Sur, MÉXICO


	[[alternative HTML version deleted]]

On Thu, Nov 27, 2008 at 12:53 AM, Kinoko <andzsinszan at gmail.com>
wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I would like to convert my "character" sequences in my matrix/
> data.frame into "numeric" where it is possible.
> I would also like to retain my alphabetic character strings in their
> original forms.
> "5.1"     >   5.1
> "hm"     >  "hm"
>
> k<-matrix(c("aa", "bb", 1,2, 4.3, 0), nrow=2)
> mode(k) <- "numeric"
> # ln1  coerces numeric chars into "character"  and
> # ln2  replaces alphabet chars with NA  (with warnings)
> #   => OK as matrix can't have mixed types
>
> k<-matrix(c("aa", "bb", 1,2, 4.3, 0), nrow=2)
> g<-as.data.frame(k, stringsAsFactos=FALSE)
Try this:

g <-as.data.frame(k, stringsAsFactors = FALSE)
str(g)
g[] <- lapply(g, type.convert)
str(g)

Hadley


-- 
http://had.co.nz/