edit.data.frame            package: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 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 be displayed as a separate
          editable column?

     ...: 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.  Factors are
     represented in the spreadsheet as either numeric vectors (which is
     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.

     The columns are coerced on input to numeric unless logical,
     character or factor (which may well not be what you want).

     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)

