[R] Calling r-scripts with arguments from other scripts, or possibly R programming conventions/style guide

[William Dunlap]

Use functions calling functions instead of scripts invoking scripts.  Put
all your
functions in a 'package'.  Then your scripts would be very small, just
passing
command line arguments to R functions.

(It is possible to call scripts from scripts, but I think it quickly leads
to headaches.)

Bill Dunlap
TIBCO Software
wdunlap tibco.com

On Tue, Jun 12, 2018 at 7:33 PM, Sam Tuck <STuck using nzsuperfund.co.nz> wrote:

> Hi All,
>           I am new to R and am wondering if there is a way to pass
> arguments between rscripts.  I have this working but have had to create a
> C# shell calling the scripts in sequence via windows scripting which
> enables command line arguments to get the necessary interaction.
>
> I'm wondering if I'm using an outdated program construction technique - I
> create r files like I would programme functions or reoccurring code
> snippets in C.  It may be that r was not designed to create lots of little
> r script modules that interact via a master script?
>
> Ideally I'd like to call r scripts from other r scripts and have all the
> variables still in memory: For example
>
> I've been using RStudio Version 1.1.447 to programme and regression test
> my individual scripts,.
>
> Script Arg Script.R
> {
> # We are going to pass arguments into this script
> arguments <- commandArgs(trailingOnly = TRUE)
> #arguments[1] is double
> #arguments[2] is double
> #arguments[3] is double.
> if(length(arguments) <3)
> {
>   stop("Not enough arguments, please supply 3, [% dbl}total deviation, [%
> dbl] individual deviation, [int] periods before recenter")
> }
> TotalDeviation <- as.numeric(arguments[1])/100
> IndividualDeviation <- as.numeric(arguments[2])/100
> RecenterPeriods <- as.numeric(arguments[3])
> # We then manipulate some objects based on these inputs, but for this test
> we will output them to a file.
> fileConn<-file("output.txt")
> writeLines(c(TotalDeviation, IndividualDeviation, RecenterPeriods),
> fileConn)
> close(fileConn)
> }
> Script RunningScript.R
> {
> Arg Script.R 0.6 0.4 132
> }
>
> To which I get
> Error: unexpected symbol in " Arg Script.R"
>
> When I use the script RunningScript.R
> {
> system(paste("Arg Script.R", 0.8, 0.4, 132))
> }
> Nothing occurs (there is no output file created, but also no error)
>
> When I use RunningScript.R
> {
> commandArgs <- c(0.6,0.4,132)
> source("Arg Script.R')
> }
> I don't get any args passed into the file.  Instead getting the error
> Not enough arguments, please supply 3, [% dbl}total deviation, [% dbl]
> individual deviation, [int] periods before recenter
>
> Thanks
>
> Sam Tuck
>
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