Hello,

Pressing the <TAB> key when typing a function into an R terminal does not
produce the expected output.  Currently, R will order all of the available
function inputs into alphabetical order and present them as options, whereas
it should display the inputs in the order they appear in the function.

For example:

> test = function(b,a,c){
print(b)
a*c
}

> test(   <TAB><TAB>
a=  b=  c=

where <TAB> indicates pressing the Tab key.

It's easy to see that if the function were designed to accept 'b' as a
string, and 'a' and 'c' as numerics that this function would fail if the
user made the assumption that the <TAB> output is in the correct order, and
input 'a' as a string.

This is a simple example, however I have several functions that I use often
and each has many possible inputs.  It would be useful to not have to
remember the order the inputs are in for each function, or have to use
args(function) beforehand.  It is also on occasion useful not to have to
explicitly name each input in your function.

Im using Ubuntu Linux 9.04 and a standard install of R 2.9.2 (unfortunately
not the polished R.app available on Macs - which coincidentally do display
function inputs in the correct order).

I welcome any thoughts, disagreements or tips any of you may have,

Thanks in advance,
    Lee Kelvin


-- 
Lee Kelvin
School of Physics & Astronomy
University of St Andrews
North Haugh
St Andrews KY16 9SS
United Kingdom

Phone (+44) [0]1334461668
Email lsk9@st-andrews.ac.uk

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