[R] Reading files with varying number of columns

[Tim Clark]

Dear R list,
I am trying to read files with a varying number of columns and can't figure out 
how to get them in the proper format.  Some rows have five value and some have 
seven.  Is there a way to read them in so that two empty columns are added to 
every row that has only five values?  An example of the data follows.  Thanks!  
Tim

>46,B,00301,2004-02-03,11:59:16
>46,B,00301,2004-02-03,12:03:43
>46,B,00301,2004-02-03,12:39:17
>46,B,00301,2004-02-03,23:07:28
>43,C,00232,2004-02-04,07:39:57,-1.5,meters
>44,A,00230,2004-02-04,07:44:59
>44,A,00230,2004-02-04,07:46:19
>44,A,00230,2004-02-04,07:48:24
>44,A,00230,2004-02-04,07:49:12
>43,C,00232,2004-02-04,07:53:08,2.5,meters
>44,A,00230,2004-02-04,07:54:34
>44,A,00230,2004-02-04,07:55:08
>43,C,00232,2004-02-04,07:56:18,2.9,meters
>43,C,00232,2004-02-04,07:56:39,2.5,meters
>46,B,00301,2004-02-04,08:00:49
>43,C,00232,2004-02-04,08:02:12,-1.1,meters
>43,C,00232,2004-02-04,08:04:01,2.2,meters
>43,C,00232,2004-02-04,08:04:26,3.3,meters
>43,C,00232,2004-02-04,08:40:26,2.9,meters
>43,C,00232,2004-02-04,08:41:04,-2.2,meters
>43,C,00232,2004-02-04,08:42:44,2.2,meters
>43,C,00232,2004-02-04,08:44:31,2.9,meters
>44,A,00231,2004-02-04,09:04:43
>44,A,00231,2004-02-04,09:10:30
>44,A,00231,2004-02-04,09:12:08
>44,A,00231,2004-02-04,09:13:32
>44,A,00231,2004-02-04,09:14:06
>43,C,00232,2004-02-04,09:18:24,0.4,meters
>43,C,00232,2004-02-04,09:20:13,2.5,meters
>44,A,00231,2004-02-04,09:21:04
>44,A,00231,2004-02-04,09:22:53
>44,A,00231,2004-02-04,09:25:32
>44,A,00231,2004-02-04,09:29:31
>44,A,00231,2004-02-04,09:30:05
>43,C,00232,2004-02-04,09:53:25,2.5,meters
>43,C,00232,2004-02-04,09:53:53,1.5,meters
>46,B,00301,2004-02-04,22:16:24
>46,B,00301,2004-02-04,22:19:32
>46,B,00258,2004-02-04,23:44:01
>46,B,00258,2004-02-04,23:44:28


 Tim Clark

Marine Ecologist
National Park of American Samoa
Pago Pago, American Samoa  96799