[R] take precisely one named argument

[(Ted Harding)]

On 17-Dec-04 Robin Hankin wrote:
> Hi
> I want a function that takes precisely one named argument and no
> unnamed arguments. The named argument must be one of "a" or "b".
> 
> If "a" is supplied, return "a".  If "b" is supplied, return 2*b.
> That is, the desired behaviour is:
> 
> R> f(a=4)   #return 4
> R> f(b=33)  #return 66
> R> f(5)      #error
> R> f(a=3,b=5)   #error
> R> f(a=3,q=3)   #error
> R> f(q=3)       #error
> 
> The following function is intended to implement this:
> 
  f <- function(a=NULL, b=NULL){
     if(!xor(is.null(a), is.null(b))){
       stop("specify exactly one of a and b")
  }
     if(is.null(a)){return(2*b)}else{return(a)}
  }
> 
> 
> It almost works, but  f(6) returns 6 (and should be an error).
> 
> What is the best way to accomplish my desired behaviour?

I don't know the *best* way (expert R anatomists will know ... )
but the following dirty handed modification seems to do what
you want:

  f <- function(z=NULL, a=NULL, b=NULL){
     if(!is.null(z)){
       stop("usage: f(a=...) or f(b=...)")
     }
     if(!xor(is.null(a), is.null(b))){
       stop("specify exactly one of a and b")
     }
     if(is.null(a)){return(2*b)}else{return(a)}
  }

(This traps attempts to use f() with an un-named argument).

Ted.


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Date: 17-Dec-04                                       Time: 12:56:37
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