Dear Bert:

Thank you for your reply. But the "eval.parent" function does not seem to
solve the problem. Below is the code. I have tried running it with

eval.parent(myknot)

as well as with integers from 0 through 4, as in

eval.parent(myknot, 4)

Each attempt produces the same error:

Error in eval(expr, p) : object "myknot" not found

I'm replying to the list in case someone can explain this.

Jake

fnJunk <-function(myknot=44 , myMER ) {
#  Fit lmer (mer, lme4) models for WSER project, using spline (ns), and plot
them for newdata.
   library(lme4)
   library(splines)

if(missing(myMER)){
   cat("myknot=", myknot)
   cat("fit another MER??")
   readline()
   myMER<-lmer(formula=Finished ~ Sex01 +
   ns(DAT$Age, knots= eval.parent(myknot, 0) ) +
   MinCC + PzC + (1 | NAME ) + (1 | Year), data=(DAT), family="binomial")
   }
# more stuff below here
}

On Thu, Jul 17, 2008 at 6:19 PM, Bert Gunter <gunter.berton@gene.com> wrote:

> As you may be aware, this is a case of FAQ for R 3.31, lexicographic
> scoping. It **can** be tricky, especially in a complex situation like
> yours.
> Typically eval() and/or substitute are what you need in such situations, to
> force evaluation in the appropriate environment. So try changing your
>
> ns(Dat$Age,knots=myknot)
>
> ## to
>
> ns(Dat$Age,knots=eval.parent(myknot))
>
> If that doesn't work, await wiser advice.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Bert Gunter
> Genentech
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: r-help-bounces@r-project.org [mailto:r-help-bounces@r-project.org]
> On
> Behalf Of Jacob Wegelin
> Sent: Thursday, July 17, 2008 1:58 PM
> To: r-help@stat.math.ethz.ch
> Subject: [R] nested calls, variable scope
>
> Below is an example of a problem I encounter repeatedly when I write
> functions.  A call works at the command line, but it does not work inside a
> function, even when I have made sure that all required variables are
> available within the function. The only way I know to solve it is to make
> the required variable global, which of course is dangerous. What is the
> elegant or appropriate way to solve this?
>
>
> # The call to ns works at the command line:
>
> > junk<-ns(DAT$Age, knots=74)
>
> # The call to lmer works at the command line, with the call to ns nested
> within it:
>
> > junk2<-lmer(formula=Finished ~ Sex01 + ns(DAT$Age, knots= 74 ) + MinCC +
> PzC + (1 | NAME ) + (1 | Year), data=myDATonly, family="binomial")
>
> But now I want to do this within a function such as the following:
>
> > myfn
> function(myknot=74) {
>         library(lme4)
>         library(splines)
>         cat("myknot=", myknot, "\n")
>         myMER<-lmer(formula=Finished ~ Sex01 + ns(DAT$Age, knots= myknot) +
> MinCC + PzC + (1 | NAME ) + (1 | Year), data=myDATonly, family="binomial")
> }
>
> > myfn(74)
> myknot= 74
> Error in ns(DAT$Age, knots = myknot) : object "myknot" not found
>
> # The bad way to do it: revise myfn to make myknot a global variable:
> > myfn
> function(myknot=74) {
>         library(lme4)
>         library(splines)
>         cat("myknot=", myknot, "\n")
>         myknot<<-myknot
>         myMER<-lmer(formula=Finished ~ Sex01 + ns(DAT$Age, knots= myknot
> ) + MinCC + PzC + (1 | NAME ) + (1 | Year), data=myDATonly,
> family="binomial")
> }
>
> > z<-myfn(74)
> myknot= 74
>
> # Runs fine but puts a global variable into .GlobalEnv.
>
> > sessionInfo()
> R version 2.6.2 (2008-02-08)
> i386-pc-mingw32
>
> locale:
> LC_COLLATE=English_United States.1252;LC_CTYPE=English_United
> States.1252;LC_MONETARY=English_United
> States.1252;LC_NUMERIC=C;LC_TIME=English_United States.1252
>
> attached base packages:
> [1] splines   stats     graphics  grDevices datasets  utils     methods
> base
>
> other attached packages:
> [1] lme4_0.999375-13  Matrix_0.999375-9 lattice_0.17-6
>
> loaded via a namespace (and not attached):
> [1] boot_1.2-32 grid_2.6.2
> >
>
> Thanks for any insight.
>
> Jacob A. Wegelin
> jwegelin@vcu.edu
> Assistant Professor
> Department of Biostatistics
> Virginia Commonwealth University
> 730 East Broad Street Room 3006
> P. O. Box 980032
> Richmond VA 23298-0032
> U.S.A.
> http://www.people.vcu.edu/~jwegelin
>
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>
> ______________________________________________
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> https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-help
> PLEASE do read the posting guide
> http://www.R-project.org/posting-guide.html
> and provide commented, minimal, self-contained, reproducible code.
>
>

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