On Mon, 23 Feb 2009, Patrick Burns wrote:
Since this topic came up, I've been thinking that
that sentence needs more work.
The "standard" is not from me -- I'm a bit more
agnostic than the statement although I personally
always use '<-'. I'm thinking a revised version
might be something along the lines of:
Standard advice from most long-time R users is
to avoid using '=' when you mean '<-'. However,
as long as you avoid the traps, it is really a matter
of taste.
Although it's probably true that most long-time R users use <-, this is at least
in part because a long-time R user would initially have had to use <-, since =
wasn't available in the distant past.
I would say that it's entirely a matter of taste -- the things that otherwise
could have been traps are mostly syntax errors. The only proviso is that if you
post code using = it is (even more) important to leave spaces around the = than it
would be for <-.
-thomas
Rejoinders, etc. will be considered for whenever
a revised Inferno appears.
Pat
Thomas Mang wrote:
Hi,
thanks for the link.
In the bottom part of the relevant section, you say:
"Standard advice is to avoid using '=' when you mean '<-'...."
Is this a formal, generally accepted (R community) advice, or does it
reflect you personal opinion?
Note I am not asking this question as to criticize by any means, but instead
I just want to know for my own work (which will be partially released to
others) if the '<-' - style is the preferred one (Personally, with a strong
background from other programming languages, I have always used '=' so far).
thanks,
Thomas
Patrick Burns wrote:
'The R Inferno' page 78 is one source you can
look at.
Patrick Burns
patr...@burns-stat.com
+44 (0)20 8525 0696
http://www.burns-stat.com
(home of "The R Inferno" and "A Guide for the Unwilling S User")
Thomas Mang wrote:
Hi,
Both operators <- and = can be used to make an assignment. My question
is: Is there a semantic difference between these two? Some time ago, I
remember I have read that because of some reason, one should be given
preference over the other - but I cannot remember the source, nor the
argument, nor which operator the preferred was.
What is the present state ?
Is still one version better than the other, or is it only a matter of
taste what to use ?
thanks
Thomas
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______________________________________________
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Thomas Lumley Assoc. Professor, Biostatistics
tlum...@u.washington.edu University of Washington, Seattle
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