[R] Access and assign list sub-elements using a string such as "l$a$b"

[Gregory Jefferis]

If I have a list I can set a sub-element as follows on the command line:

people=list()
people$tom$hair="brown"
people

But what if I have a string containing the name of the sub-element that I
want to access?

subel= "people$tom$hair"

get(subel) # returns error
assign(subel,"red") # silent but doesn't change list
people

The attempts above using assign/get won't do what I am trying to do [nor
according to the help should they].  I would be very grateful for any
suggestions.  Many thanks,

Greg.

-- 
Gregory Jefferis, PhD                                   and:
Research Fellow    
Department of Zoology                                   St John's College
University of Cambridge                                 Cambridge
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