[R] question about attaching data

Gerrit Eichner Gerrit.Eichner at math.uni-giessen.de
Thu Mar 28 09:49:10 CET 2013


Hi, Pancho,

1. Quote:

> PLEASE do ... provide commented, minimal, self-contained, reproducible 
> code.

2. Changes of variables of attached data frames are -- usually -- not 
permanent (i.e., "disappear" when the data frame is detached again).

3. The of use detach( dummy) is to detach the data frame named "dummy" 
from the search path, i.e., to take it out of the search path agin.

4. No one is going to stop you "from continuing this process ad infinitum" 
except yourself. ;-)

HtH  -- Gerrit

On Thu, 28 Mar 2013, Pancho Mulongeni wrote:

> Hi I just would like to know,
> When I have a dataframe, like this one called 'dummy'
> And I attach it.
> Then I run my code.
> I then update the dataframe by making changes and I still call it 'dummy'.
> I run my code again.
> Now dummy is at position 1 and position 2 of the search path and if I 
> run the code again, with another version of 'dummy' it updates and 
> eventually my search path looks like this
> [1] ".GlobalEnv"        "dummy"             "dummy"
> [4] "dummy"             "package:stats"     "package:graphics"
> [7] "package:grDevices" "package:datasets"  "package:rcom"
> [10] "package:rscproxy"  "package:utils"     "package:methods"
> [13] "RExcelEnv"         "Autoloads"         "package:base"
>
> I get the correct data, as the previous versions of dummy are 'masked 
> from the search path'. What stops me from continuing this process ad 
> infinitum? What's the use of detaching dummy using detach()? Thanks
>
>
> Pancho Mulongeni
> Research Assistant
> PharmAccess Foundation
> 1 Fouché Street
> Windhoek West
> Windhoek
> Namibia
>  
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> and provide commented, minimal, self-contained, reproducible code.


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