[Rd] Re: all.equal(, ) not considering names [was "vector documentation error?"]

[Spencer Graves]

The following is what I got from S-Plus 6.2 under Windows 2000: 

 > x <- c(a = 1, b = 2)
 > is.vector(x)
[1] F
 > as.vector(x)
[1] 1 2
 > all.equal(x, as.vector(x))
[1] "target, current classes differ: named : 
integer"                                                   
[2] "class of target is \"named\", class of current is \"integer\" 
(coercing target to class of current)"

      Thanks, Martin and all of the core R team for their exceptional 
contribution to this marvelous software.  I think it provides a great 
liberating force to all research that includes the development of new 
statistical algorithms by making it so much easier for others to modify 
and extend something that previous researchers have developed. 

      Best Wishes,
      spencer graves

Martin Maechler wrote:

>>>>>>"Spencer" == Spencer Graves <spencer.graves at pdf.com>
>>>>>>    on Wed, 21 Jul 2004 05:47:01 -0700 writes:
>>>>>>            
>>>>>>
>
>    Spencer> The help file for "vector" in R 1.9.1 for Windows includes the 
>    Spencer> following: 
>
>    Spencer> x <- c(a = 1, b = 2)
>    Spencer> is.vector(x)
>    Spencer> as.vector(x)
>    Spencer> all.equal(x, as.vector(x)) ## FALSE
>
>    Spencer> I ran this just now and got TRUE. 
>
>yes, I get this as well {R-patched on Linux}.
>
>I'm sure that it never returned FALSE, since  all.equal()
>doesn't ever.   However it *did* give non TRUE
>in R versions up to 1.6.2 :
>
>  > x <- c(a=1,b=2); all.equal(x, as.vector(x))
>  [1] "names for target but not for current" "TRUE" 
>
>and it does give something similar in the our S-plus 6.1 version.
>
>Our documentation does nowhere specify what should happen
>exactly in this case, but I do doubt that the current behavior
>is correct.
>What do other (long time S language) users think?
>
>
>    Spencer> Should I bother to report such things?  
>
>yes, please, in any case!
>
>    Spencer> If yes, to whom? 
>
>As long as you have a "?" going with it, it's not something you
>should report as bug. 
>In that case, you decide between R-help or R-devel
>and the posting guide has a paragraph on this.
>I think you decided very well for the current topic.
>
><....>
>
>
>    Spencer> p.s.  Please excuse if I'm sending this to the
>    Spencer> wrong address.  I went to www.r-project.org ->
>    Spencer> Mailing Lists and double clicked on an apparent hot
>    Spencer> link to "r-bugs" and got nothing <....>
>
>Well, R-bugs is *not* a mailing list.  You'll find its address
>in other places such as the R-FAQ or
>help(bug.report).
>
>    Spencer> Therefore, I decided to send this to r-devel.
>
>The "therefore" wasn't quite correct IMO, but your conclusion
>anyway ;-)
>
>
>  
>