[R] weird "vector size cannot be NA/NaN" problem

[Peter Ehlers]

Werner,

Thanks for sending the data.

The problem does seem to lie with describe() in pkg:Hmisc.
Frank may want to know that it can be triggered by

  f <- function(n)describe(c(1:n,1/0))
  f(18) #ok
  f(19) #triggers the error

Perhaps it's related to the "at least 20 unique values" condition
mentioned in ?describe.

Peter Ehlers

Werner Wernersen wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> I have to follow up my own question since this problem is getting quite disturbing and I fear that it also causes other functions to malfunction without notice. 
> 
> It occurs quite quite often when I manipulate the mentioned data set. It definitely is caused by the column entries which are Inf (caused by a value/0 operation) but I cannot reproduce the error. When I do a describe(c(5,3,76,4/0)), for example, the last value is Inf but the error is not thrown.
> 
> But I can save the vector and load it and the error still occurs. Would someone be willing to look at that vector and maybe finds out the root of the problem? (I'll send the vector by email)
> 
> As I said in the earlier email, the data is imported with read.dta of the foreign library and the only manipulation I do is dividing the values of two columns by each other.
> 
> Thanks a million,
>   Werner
> 
> 
>> I have a weird problem with my data but I cannot really
>> locate it and cannot make a small example data set do
>> reproduce the problem.
>> I basically divide one numerical column of a data frame
>> with another. When I run describe() on that column, I get
>> "Error in vector("integer", length) : vector size cannot be
>> NA/NaN"
>>
>> The two original columns comprise many zero values and I
>> think the particular row which causes the problem ends up
>> with an "Inf". 
>>
>> I fear that other functions might also not be reliable for
>> this data and that I have to repair it somehow. It actually
>> happens with many of the variables from the various tables
>> which originally are in Stata .dta format and which I import
>> with the foreign library.
>>
>> I am working on windows XP and R 2.9.1
>>
>> I assume that this description is too vague but if anybody
>> has an idea, I would appreciate it.
>>
>> Thanks so much,
>>   Werner
>>
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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