The 'ties.method' argument to 'rank' is the *third* positional argument to 'rank', so either you need to put it in the third position or you need to use a named argument.
The fact that the variable you're using to represent ties.method is called ties.method is irrelevant. That is, this: rank(x,ties.method) is equivalent to rank(x, na.last = ties.method) which is not what you want. You need to write rank(x, ties.method = ties.method) or (more concise but not as clear): rank(x, , ties.method) Hope this helps, -s On Wed, May 27, 2009 at 10:11 AM, utkarshsinghal < utkarsh.sing...@global-analytics.com> wrote: > I define the following function: > (Please don't wonder about the use of this function, this is just a > simplified version of my actual function. And please don't spend your time > in finding an alternate way of doing the same as the following does not > exactly represent my function. I am only interested in a good explanation) > > > f1 = function(x,ties.method="average")rank(x,ties.method) > > f1(c(1,1,2,4), ties.method="min") > [1] 1.5 1.5 3.0 4.0 > > I don't know why it followed ties.method="average". > Anyways I randomly tried the following: > > > f2 = function(x,ties.method="average")rank(x,ties.method=ties.method) > > f2(c(1,1,2,4), ties.method="min") > [1] 1 1 3 4 > Now, it follows the ties.method="min" > > I don't see any explanation for this, however, I somehow mugged up that if > I define it as in "f1", the ties.method in rank function takes its default > value which is "average" and if I define as in "f2", it takes the value > which is passed in "f2". > > But even all my mugging is wasted when I tested the following: > > > h = function(x, a=1)x^a > > g1 = function(x, a=1)h(x,a) > > g1(x=5, a=2) > [1] 25 > > > g2 = function(x, a=1)h(x,a=a) > > g2(x=5, a=2) > [1] 25 > > Here in both the cases, "h" is taking the value passed through "g1", and > "g2". > > Any comments/hints can be helpful. > > Regards > Utkarsh > > ______________________________________________ > R-help@r-project.org mailing list > https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-help > PLEASE do read the posting guide > http://www.R-project.org/posting-guide.html > and provide commented, minimal, self-contained, reproducible code. > [[alternative HTML version deleted]] ______________________________________________ R-help@r-project.org mailing list https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-help PLEASE do read the posting guide http://www.R-project.org/posting-guide.html and provide commented, minimal, self-contained, reproducible code.