[R] reshape, direction=long: "multiple row names not allowed"

[Gustaf Rydevik]

Hi all,

for some reason I always get stuck spending hours when trying to use
reshape or the Reshape package. Heaven knows why.
My latest frustration (in 2.7.1, so ignore if this has been fixed):

test<-data.frame(matrix(rnorm(42*4),ncol=4),rep(1:21,2),rep(c("a","b"),each=21))
reshape(test,varying=list(colnames(test)[1:4]),direction="long")

test<-data.frame(matrix(rnorm(42*4),ncol=4),id=rep(1:21,2),rep(c("a","b"),each=21))
reshape(test,varying=list(colnames(test)[1:4]),direction="long")

The first works, but the second does not. The only information on why
is that "duplicate row names are not allowed".
It took me a fair time before figuring out that it was the "id"-column
that caused problems.
Perhaps something to fix, or at least give a more informative error message?

Best regards,

Gustaf


-- 
Gustaf Rydevik, M.Sci.
tel: +46(0)703 051 451
address:Essingetorget 40,112 66 Stockholm, SE
skype:gustaf_rydevik