On 13-01-20 2:56 PM, Steve Taylor wrote:
On 13-01-20 2:28 PM, Steve Taylor wrote:
From: Duncan Murdoch
Maybe we just need a manual on how to use the existing help system. But
I suspect people who won't read the existing manuals won't read that
one, either.
Duncan, I assume you're being facetious. Every R user soon learns to use
help() and help.search() or their equivalents. We don't need a manual to teach
that.
There are other parts of the help system that you don't appear to know
about. Run help.start() for the main index page. help() is kind of a
shortcut to the section labelled "Packages". help.search() gets you to
"Search Engine & Keywords". There are 15 other headings to explore as well.
I know about them even tho I didn't mention them.
Rolf Turner wrote:
The "help" facility is applicable to functions and data sets. It is not
designed
or intended to give "help" with respect to R syntax (with the exception of
the basic syntax of the operators --- unary and binary --- and the
associated
rules of precedence).
Then why are there help pages ?":::", ?"for", ?"NA_character_", ?".C" and ?"??"
but not ?"..." ?!
Those are all functions or other objects, while ... is not. There are
examples of topic aliases that are not objects, e.g. ?Syntax, but mostly
Rolf is right. Most discussion of the syntax is in the manuals.
Nevertheless, help("...") is a reasonable thing for a user to do and expect
some help.
I agree it should do something. I think I'll have it lead to ?Reserved,
and add pointers to the manuals from there. I don't think the help()
pages are right for it.
Duncan Murdoch
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