R-beta: Re: "as.numeric" `mode' and `cast' should be kept separate.

[Friedrich Leisch]

>>>>> On Wed, 3 Jun 1998 13:18:04 +1200 (NZST),
>>>>> Ross Ihaka (RI) wrote:

RI> Bill Venables writes:
>> I don't say this will appeal to everyone straight away, but I
>> would even favour using a binary operator syntax for the
>> assignment function form of the above replacement function, for
>> example
>> 
>> "%cast.as%" <- function(x, form) {
>> storage.mode(x) <- deparse(substitute(form))
>> x
>> }
>> 
>> Calls to .C would then take on such a striking form that it would
>> be immediately noticed if something had been missed:
>> 
>> result <- .C("some_flashy_C_thing",
>> x = my.x %cast.as% double,
>> i = my.eye %cast.as% integer,
>> oops = forgot.this.one,
>> value = z %cast.as% single)$value
>> 
>> Nothing to do with mode.  If "%cast.as%" is too much typing, well
>> it's not too difficult to redefine your own shorter version:
>> 
>> "%as%" <- get("%cast.as%")

RI> This certainly appeals to me straight away!  A very nice suggestion.


I add a second PRO vote.

.f
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