[R] function help?

[Duke]

  On 9/17/10 12:46 PM, Jeff Newmiller wrote:
> If having the definition of the function appear when you enter the name of the function elicits a "hate" response, then perhaps you should not be using R. That characteristic of R is fundamental and unlikely to change: in R everything is an object, and the result of evaluating an expression is displayed at the command line. Other languages have different unifying principles, and may be appropriate for different tasks.
>

Well, *hate* or *love* is just a matter of time and / or habit, so it 
will not interfere with me doing anything, especially in work related. I 
dont mind learning anything that will serve me well. Indeed, some 
projects that I am currently working with involve some R packages and 
hence some R coding as well, so I will use R no matter if I hate it or not.

> Anything that can be done in R could be done in, say, C, but by the time you did so you might find yourself learning very similar lessons to the ones R assumes you know.

I have zero background on programming, so I prefer to work and learn in 
C/C++ if I have a chance (and time). But if I need something quick, then 
I will have to use something like matlab, R or python.

> "Duke"<duke.lists at gmx.com>  wrote:
>
>>   On 9/16/10 5:00 PM, Rolf Turner wrote:
>>> On 17/09/2010, at 8:51 AM, Duke wrote:
>>>
>>>>    Hi Duncan,
>>>>
>>>> On 9/16/10 3:47 PM, Duncan Murdoch wrote:
>>>>> On 16/09/2010 3:40 PM, Duke wrote:
>>>>>>     Hi all,
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I am writing a function (fun.R), but I dont know how to code the
>>>>>> function so that the Help Text will be shown up when one types ?fun (of
>>>>>> course, after he loads it up). Anyone has any advice for me how to do
>>>>>> that?
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>> The help text is separate from the function (unless you use the
>>>>> roxygen package or similar).  You need to write a package so that R
>>>>> will find the help; instructions are in the Writing R Extensions manual.
>>>> I was expecting something simpler than writing a package, and that I can
>>>> integrate it into fun.R, but thanks anyway.
>>> (a) Writing a package is not all that hard.
>> You can say so if you are fluent in R. I just started and have written
>> only 20-30 lines of codes so far. Also, writing a package is still more
>> complicated than writing a simple function (single file). Why R is so
>> different from other languages (python, matlab or more basics like C/C++
>> etc...)? In fact I still feel very uncomfortable with R, for example, I
>> hate when I type a function name, it shows the whole function.
>>
>> Honestly I feel a world of programming is a mess, and it is tough when
>> one wants to jump from one language to another.
>>
>>> (b) It focuses the mind wondrously.
>> I did try to write a simple package (followed a tutorial), but did not
>> find what you said :). Maybe I need more practice.
>>
>>> (c) Using R CMD check on the package is very useful for picking the
>>> lint off the code.
>>>
>> It would be great if you share your experience a little more about this.
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> D.
>>
>>> 	cheers,
>>>
>>> 		Rolf Turner
>>>
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> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Jeff Newmiller                        The     .....       .....  Go Live...
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