[R] Coercing character to factor

[Marc Feldesman]

I just downloaded version 1.0.0 and several binary libraries (VR, rpart, 
norm, stataread) - WinNT version.  I then converted a file from Stata 6.0 
to R format by using the stataread library.  The file converts perfectly 
and I was able to use the VR function lda on the dataframe without 
difficulty.  I then tried to use the same dataframe with RPART.  The model 
statement:

test.rp<-rpart(genus~x+y+z+a+b+c, data=mydata) fails with the following error:

Error in model.frame(formula, rownames, variables, varnames, extras, 
extranames,  :
         invalid variable type

(the identical model statement works perfectly in lda)

I've traced the error to how RPART (or R) deals with the dependent variable 
"genus", which is converted from a Stata file to an R file as a "character" 
variable.

The model statement works fine if I do:

test.rp<-rpart(as.factor(genus)~x+y+z+a+b+c, data=mydata)

or

mydata[,2]<-as.factor(mydata[,2])
test.rp<-rpart(genus~x+y+z+a+b+c, data=mydata)

Is this an R, RPART, or stataread issue?  Where did I think I read that R 
coerced character variables to factors if the context called for factor 
variables?


=====================
Dr. Marc R. Feldesman
Professor and Chairman
Anthropology Department
Portland State University
1721 SW Broadway
Portland, Oregon 97201
email:  feldesmanm at pdx.edu
phone:  503-725-3081
fax:    503-725-3905
http://odin.cc.pdx.edu/~h1mf
======================

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