This is probably far more discussion than the question warranted, but... On Thu, Dec 3, 2009 at 11:14 PM, David Winsemius <dwinsem...@comcast.net> wrote: > > On Dec 3, 2009, at 10:52 PM, Gray Calhoun wrote: > >> The data import/export manual can elaborate on a lot of these; this is >> all straightforward, although many people would prefer to use a >> relational database for some of the things you mentioned. > > See Wickham's pithy response to this.
Sure. My (indirect) point is that representing query results as separate files is usually not the right approach, regardless of statistical language/package one uses. > >> I'm not >> aware of a "goto" command in R, though (although I could be wrong). > > In fairness to the OP, he did not ask if there were a go-to construct, but > rather whether there were a "gosub" construct that supported "modular > programming". My response would have been that calling modular functions > (i.e., subroutines with defined arguments) is fundamental to R and the key > to understanding how to use it with grace and efficiency. I would say that > the concept of functional programming is to a much greater extent supported > by R than by SAS, whose datastep mechanisms (as I remember them from earlier > incarnation) in no way supported modular programming. I suspect that S and R > arose precisely because of the mental straightjackets imposed by SAS. >From the original: "Goto Start until File 1 Done." But, yes, probably unfair and certainly less informative than your response. > > -- > David. > > >> --Gray >> >> On Thu, Dec 3, 2009 at 1:52 PM, John Filben <johnfil...@yahoo.com> wrote: >>> >>> Can R support data manipulation programming that is available in the SAS >>> datastep? Specifically, can R support the following: >>> - Read multiple dataset one record at a time and compare values >>> from each; then base on if-then logic write to multiple output files >>> - Load a lookup table and then process a different file; based >>> on if-then logic, access and lookup values in the table >>> - Support modular “gosub”programming >>> - Sort files >>> - Date math and conversions >>> - Would it be able to support the following type of logic: >>> o Start >>> § Read Record from File 1 >>> § Read Record from File 2 >>> § Match >>> · If Key 1 <> Key 2 and Key 1 < Key 2, Write to output file A >>> · If Key 1 = Key 2, Write to output file B >>> · If Key 1 <> Key 2 and Key 1 > Key 2, Write to output file C§ >>> Goto Start until File 1 Done >>> John Filben >>> Cell Phone - 773.401.2822 >>> Email - johnfil...@yahoo.com >>> >>> >>> >>> [[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. >>> >>> >> >> ______________________________________________ >> 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. > > David Winsemius, MD > Heritage Laboratories > West Hartford, CT > > ______________________________________________ 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.