[R] How to check the code for generic function in a specific package?

[Liaw, Andy]

What version of R are you using?  In R-1.9.1 (on WinXPPro), I get:

> boxplot
function (x, ...) 
UseMethod("boxplot")
<environment: namespace:graphics>

... and that _is_ what an S3 generic looks like.  I suspect you really want
to define a boxplot method for some class for which there's no boxplot
method yet.  If so, just create a function named boxplot.myclass (substitute
`myclass' for the name of the class).  If you want to see what the default
method looks like for boxplot, type boxplot.default (which is _not_ hidden
behind the namespace for `graphics').

Andy

> From: F Duan
> 
> Thanks for your answer. My problem is:
> 
> For example, I want to check the code for function "boxplot" 
> and do some
> modifications in a specific package, but "boxplot" has also 
> been defined in
> another package (e.g., graphics). Therefore, when I type "boxplot" or
> "fix(boxplot)" at the R prompt, I only get a message like:
> 
> > boxplot
>  standardGeneric for "boxplot" defined from package "graphics"
> 
>  function (x, ...) 
>  standardGeneric("boxplot")
>  <environment: 02D4FC14>
>  Methods may be defined for arguments: x  
> 
> 
> There is no source code pop-up, either for the package 
> "graphics" or the
> package I am working with.
> 
> Frank Duan
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Uwe Ligges [mailto:ligges at statistik.uni-dortmund.de] 
> Sent: Monday, July 05, 2004 17:58
> To: F Duan
> Cc: r-help at stat.math.ethz.ch
> Subject: Re: [R] How to check the code for generic function 
> in a specific
> package?
> 
> F Duan wrote:
> 
> > Hello, R people,
> > 
> >  
> > 
> > I am a R beginner. I searched the R-FAQ and R-help and 
> failed to find the
> > answers. 
> > 
> >  
> > 
> > Could anyone tell me how to check (or edit) a generic 
> function within a
> > specific package? If the function is not generic, I can 
> just type the
> > function name at the R prompt or use "fix()" and "edit()".
> 
> fix() *does* work for me, giving you expect that the fucntion is not 
> "fixed" within the package, but a new (changed) instance is 
> created in 
> your Workspace.....
> 
> What do you expect to happen? What is the error message (if 
> there is any)?
> 
> In order to change packages, you might want to edit the 
> package sources 
> directly.
> 
> Uwe Ligges
> 
> 
> 
> >  
> > 
> > Thanks a lot.
> > 
> >  
> > 
> > Frank
> > 
> > 
> > 	[[alternative HTML version deleted]]
> > 
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