R help - Mar 2013 - question about attaching data

Hi I just would like to know,
When I have a dataframe, like this one called 'dummy'
And I attach it.
Then I run my code. 
I then update the dataframe by making changes and I still call it
'dummy'.
I run my code again.
Now dummy is at position 1 and position 2 of the search path and if I run the
code again, with another version of 'dummy' it updates and eventually my
search path looks like this
[1] ".GlobalEnv"        "dummy"            
"dummy"
 [4] "dummy"             "package:stats"    
"package:graphics"
 [7] "package:grDevices" "package:datasets" 
"package:rcom"
[10] "package:rscproxy"  "package:utils"    
"package:methods"
[13] "RExcelEnv"         "Autoloads"        
"package:base"

I get the correct data, as the previous versions of dummy are 'masked from
the search path'. What stops me from continuing this process ad infinitum?
What's the use of detaching dummy using detach()?
Thanks


Pancho Mulongeni
Research Assistant
PharmAccess Foundation
1 Fouch? Street
Windhoek West
Windhoek
Namibia
?
Tel:?? +264 61 419 000
Fax:? +264 61 419 001/2
Mob: +264 81 4456 286

Hi, Pancho,

1. Quote:
> PLEASE do ... provide commented, minimal, self-contained, reproducible 
> code.
2. Changes of variables of attached data frames are -- usually -- not 
permanent (i.e., "disappear" when the data frame is detached again).

3. The of use detach( dummy) is to detach the data frame named "dummy"
from the search path, i.e., to take it out of the search path agin.

4. No one is going to stop you "from continuing this process ad
infinitum"
except yourself. ;-)

HtH  -- Gerrit

On Thu, 28 Mar 2013, Pancho Mulongeni wrote:
> Hi I just would like to know,
> When I have a dataframe, like this one called 'dummy'
> And I attach it.
> Then I run my code.
> I then update the dataframe by making changes and I still call it
'dummy'.
> I run my code again.
> Now dummy is at position 1 and position 2 of the search path and if I 
> run the code again, with another version of 'dummy' it updates and 
> eventually my search path looks like this
> [1] ".GlobalEnv"        "dummy"            
"dummy"
> [4] "dummy"             "package:stats"    
"package:graphics"
> [7] "package:grDevices" "package:datasets" 
"package:rcom"
> [10] "package:rscproxy"  "package:utils"    
"package:methods"
> [13] "RExcelEnv"         "Autoloads"        
"package:base"
>
> I get the correct data, as the previous versions of dummy are 'masked 
> from the search path'. What stops me from continuing this process ad 
> infinitum? What's the use of detaching dummy using detach()? Thanks
>
>
> Pancho Mulongeni
> Research Assistant
> PharmAccess Foundation
> 1 Fouch? Street
> Windhoek West
> Windhoek
> Namibia
> ?
> Tel:?? +264 61 419 000
> Fax:? +264 61 419 001/2
> Mob: +264 81 4456 286
>
> ______________________________________________
> 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.