[R] Referencing function name from within function

[Mark Wardle]

Alberto Monteiro wrote:
> Jim Holtman wrote:
>>> myfunction <- function(){
>> +     # some calculations
>> +     # now get my name
>> +     .caller <- sys.call()
>> +     cat(paste(as.character(.caller[[length(.caller)]]),"needs 
>> 'xyz'\n")) + }
>>> myfunction()
>> myfunction needs 'xyz'
> 
> I like this! It's even possible to know _which_ function
> called myfunction and caused the 'disaster' (for bug tracking):
> 
> myfunction <- function() {
>   # some calculations
>   # oops, something wrong here
>   call.stack <- sys.calls()
>   n <- length(call.stack)
>   cat(as.character(call.stack[[n]]), 
>     " crashed, called from ", 
>     as.character(call.stack[[n-1]]), "\n")
> }
> 
> evil.function <- function() myfunction()
> 
> evil.function()
> 
> How can I get the _arguments_ to the calls? as.character strips
> them :-/
> 


?traceback


Or aren't you better off creating a custom error handler if you are
going to go this far?

Best wishes,

Mark

-- 
Dr. Mark Wardle
Specialist registrar, Neurology
Cardiff, UK