[R] converting a character vector to a function's input

[jim holtman]

first part:

> VAR1 <- 1:10
> VAR2 <- 11:20
> VAR3 <- 21:30
> input <- "VAR1,VAR2,VAR3"
> # split the input
> i.s <- unlist(strsplit(input, ','))
> # create matrix
> do.call(cbind, lapply(i.s, get))
      [,1] [,2] [,3]
 [1,]    1   11   21
 [2,]    2   12   22
 [3,]    3   13   23
 [4,]    4   14   24
 [5,]    5   15   25
 [6,]    6   16   26
 [7,]    7   17   27
 [8,]    8   18   28
 [9,]    9   19   29
[10,]   10   20   30


second part:

> x <- scan(what='')
1: VAR1 VAR2 VAR3
4:
Read 3 items
> x
[1] "VAR1" "VAR2" "VAR3"
> paste(x, collapse=',')
[1] "VAR1,VAR2,VAR3"


On Tue, Sep 22, 2009 at 8:57 AM, qwerty qwerty <qwerty132us at yahoo.com> wrote:
> Hi all, I have been trying to solve this problem and have had no luck so far.
>
> I have numeric vectors VAR1, VAR2, and VAR3 which I am trying to cbind. I also have a character vector "VAR1,VAR2,VAR3". How do I manipulate this character vector such that I can input a transformed version of the character vector into cbind and have it recognize that I'm trying to refer to my numeric vectors VAR1, VAR2, and VAR3.
>
> i.e. make cbind(some transformed version of character vector) equivalent to cbind(VAR1,VAR2,VAR3)
>
> Alternatively, starting with the console input: VAR1 VAR2 VAR3
> how does one transform into the input VAR1,VAR2,VAR3
>
> (to get my aformentioned character vector I am using gsub(" ",",","VAR1 VAR2 VAR3"))
>
> Thanks for the help!
>
> Mike
>
>
>
>
>        [[alternative HTML version deleted]]
>
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-- 
Jim Holtman
Cincinnati, OH
+1 513 646 9390

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