R: Edit Data Frames and Matrices

edit.data.frame {utils} | R Documentation

## Edit Data Frames and Matrices

### Description

Use data editor on data frame or matrix contents.

### Usage

    ## S3 method for class 'data.frame':
    edit(name, factor.mode = c("character", "numeric"),
         edit.row.names = any(row.names(name) != 1:nrow(name)), ...)

    ## S3 method for class 'matrix':
    edit(name, edit.row.names = !is.null(dn[[1]]), ...)

### Arguments

`name` | A data frame or (numeric, logical or characer) matrix.
`factor.mode` | How to handle factors (as integers or using character levels) in a data frame.
`edit.row.names` | logical. Show the row names (if they exist) be displayed as a separate editable column? It is an error to ask for this on a matrix with `NULL` row names.
`...` | further arguments passed to or from other methods.

### Details

At present, this only works on simple data frames containing numeric, logical or character vectors and factors, and numeric, logical or character matrices. Any other mode of matrix will give an error, and a warning is given when the matrix has a class (which will be discarded).

Data frame columns are coerced on input to character unless numeric (in the sense of `is.numeric`), logical or factor. A warning is given when classes are discarded. Special characters (tabs, non-printing ASCII, etc.) will be displayed as escape sequences.

Factors columns are represented in the spreadsheet as either numeric vectors (which are more suitable for data entry) or character vectors (better for browsing). After editing, vectors are padded with `NA` to have the same length and factor attributes are restored. The set of factor levels can not be changed by editing in numeric mode; invalid levels are changed to `NA` and a warning is issued. If new factor levels are introduced in character mode, they are added at the end of the list of levels in the order in which they encountered.

It is possible to use the data-editor's facilities to select the mode of columns to swap between numerical and factor columns in a data frame. Changing any column in a numerical matrix to character will cause the result to be coerced to a character matrix. Changing the mode of logical columns is not supported.

For a data frame, the row names will be taken from the original object if `edit.row.names = FALSE` and the number of rows is unchanged, and from the edited output if `edit.row.names = TRUE` and there are no duplicates. (If the `row.names` column is incomplete, it is extended by entries like `row223`.) In all other cases the row names are replaced by `seq(length=nrows)`.

For a matrix, colnames will be added (of the form `col7`) if needed. The rownames will be taken from the original object if `edit.row.names = FALSE` and the number of rows is unchanged (otherwise `NULL`), and from the edited output if `edit.row.names = TRUE`. (If the `row.names` column is incomplete, it is extended by entries like `row223`.)

Editing a matrix or data frame will lose all attributes apart from the row and column names.

### Value

The edited data frame or matrix.

### Note

`fix(dataframe)` works for in-place editing by calling this function.

If the data editor is not available, a dump of the object is presented for editing using the default method of `edit`.

At present the data editor is limited to 65535 rows.

### Author(s)

Peter Dalgaard

### See Also

`data.entry`, `edit`

### Examples

    ## Not run:
    edit(InsectSprays)
    edit(InsectSprays, factor.mode="numeric")
    ## End(Not run)

[Package utils version 2.8.1 Index]