[R-sig-DB] CSV input returns unexpected and unwanted numbers.

[Markus Jäntti]

Jim Burke wrote:
> I am having extreme trouble inputting a csv file.
> Previously this worked flawlessly.
> 
> Resolution attempts tried. Still problems.
> . Rebooting the PC
> . Defrag the PC
> . Reboot with the shift key down (don't run
>  startup items).
> . Using old R 2.81
> 
> PROBLEM is the first column incorrectly comes
> out in scientific notation.
> 
> My csv data file named h01369_short_blk.csv.
> The data file is below.
> ===================================
> "sctbkey","district"
> "480019501001000",8
> "480019501001001",8
> "480019501001002",8
> "480019501001003",8
> "480019501001004",8
> "480019501001005",8
> "480019501001006",8
> 
> Using R 9.0 on Windows XP I read it as follows.
> The syntax is straight from help(read.csv).
> ====================================
> all_hd_df <- read.csv("h01369_short_blk.csv", header = TRUE,
>             sep = ",", quote="\"", dec=".",
>             fill = TRUE, comment.char="")
> 
> Output
> WHY THE SCIENTIFIC NUMBERS? I expected
> 480019501001000 for the first one
> ====================================
>  > all_hd_df
>       sctbkey district
> 1 4.800195e+14        8
> 2 4.800195e+14        8
> 3 4.800195e+14        8
> 4 4.800195e+14        8
> 5 4.800195e+14        8
> 6 4.800195e+14        8
> 7 4.800195e+14        8
> 
> Any suggestions?

I can't answer the why part, but you can convert to strings by issuing

all_hd_df$sctbkey <- as.character(all_hd_df$sctbkey)

you should probably be able to use colClasses in the call to read.csv to make it 
input as a character string.

Markus

> 
> Thanks,
> Jim Burke
> 
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-- 
Markus Jantti
Professor of Economics
Swedish Institute for Social Research
Stockholm University