dataentry               package:utils               R Documentation

Spreadsheet Interface for Entering Data

Description:

     A spreadsheet-like editor for entering or editing data.

Usage:

     data.entry(..., Modes = NULL, Names = NULL)
     dataentry(data, modes)
     de(..., Modes = list(), Names = NULL)

Arguments:

     ...: A list of variables: currently these should be numeric or
          character vectors or list containing such vectors.

   Modes: The modes to be used for the variables.

   Names: The names to be used for the variables.

    data: A list of numeric and/or character vectors.

   modes: A list of length up to that of 'data' giving the modes of
          (some of) the variables. 'list()' is allowed.

Details:

     The data entry editor is only available on some platforms and
     GUIs. Where available it provides a means to visually edit a
     matrix or a collection of variables (including a data frame) as
     described in the Notes section.

     'data.entry' has side effects, any changes made in the spreadsheet
     are reflected in the variables.  The functions 'de', 'de.ncols',
     'de.setup' and 'de.restore' are designed to help achieve these
     side effects. If the user passes in a matrix, 'X' say, then the
     matrix is broken into columns before 'dataentry' is called. Then
     on return the columns are collected and glued back together and
     the result assigned to the variable 'X'.  If you don't want this
     behaviour use dataentry directly.

     The primitive function is 'dataentry'. It takes a list of vectors
     of possibly different lengths and modes (the second argument) and
     opens a spreadsheet with these variables being the columns. The
     columns of the dataentry window are returned as vectors in a list
     when the spreadsheet is closed.

     'de.ncols' counts the number of columns which are supplied as
     arguments to 'data.entry'. It attempts to count columns in lists,
     matrices and vectors.  'de.setup' sets things up so that on return
     the columns can be regrouped and reassigned to the correct name.
     This is handled by 'de.restore'.

Value:

     'de' and 'dataentry' return the edited value of their arguments.
     'data.entry' invisibly returns a vector of variable names but its
     main value is its side effect of assigning new version of those
     variables in the user's workspace.

Resources:

     The data entry window responds to X resources of class
     'R_dataentry'.  Resources 'foreground', 'background' and
     'geometry' are utilized.

Note:

     The details of interface to the data grid may differ by platform
     and GUI.  The following description applies to the X11-based
     implementation under Unix.

     You can navigate around the grid using the cursor keys or by
     clicking with the (left) mouse button on any cell.  The active
     cell is highlighted by thickening the surrounding rectangle. 
     Moving to the right or down will scroll the grid as needed: there
     is no constraint to the rows or columns currently in use.

     There are alternative ways to navigate using the keys.  Return and
     (keypad) Enter and LineFeed all move down. Tab moves right and
     Shift-Tab move left.  Home moves to the top left.

     PageDown or Control-F moves down a page, and PageUp or Control-B
     up by a page.  End will show the last used column and the last few
     rows used (in any column).

     Using any other key starts an editing process on the currently
     selected cell: moving away from that cell enters the edited value
     whereas Esc cancels the edit and restores the previous value. 
     When the editing process starts the cell is cleared. In numerical
     columns (the default) only letters making up a valid number
     (including '-.eE') are accepted, and entering an invalid edited
     value (such as blank) enters 'NA' in that cell.  The last entered
     value can be deleted using the  BackSpace or Del(ete) key.  Only a
     limited number of characters (currently 29) can be entered in a
     cell, and if necessary only the start or end of the string will be
     displayed, with the omissions indicated by '>' or '<'.  (The start
     is shown except when editing.)

     Entering a value in a cell further down a column than the last
     used cell extends the variable and fills the gap (if any) by 'NA's
     (not shown on screen).

     The column names can only be selected by clicking in them.  This
     gives a popup menu to select the column type (currently Real
     (numeric) or Character) or to change the name.  Changing the type
     converts the current contents of the column (and converting from
     Character to Real may generate 'NA's.) If changing the name is
     selected the header cell becomes editable (and is cleared).  As
     with all cells, the value is entered by moving away from the cell
     by clicking elsewhere or by any of the keys for moving down
     (only).

     New columns are created by entering values in them (and not by
     just assigning a new name).  The mode of the column is
     auto-detected from the first value entered: if this is a valid
     number it gives a numeric column.  Unused columns are ignored, so
     adding data in 'var5' to a three-column grid adds one extra
     variable, not two.

     The 'Copy' button copies the currently selected cell: 'paste'
     copies the last copied value to the current cell, and
     right-clicking selects a cell _and_ copies in the value. Initially
     the value is blank, and attempts to paste a blank value will have
     no effect.

     Control-L will refresh the display, recalculating field widths to
     fit the current entries.

     In the default mode the column widths are chosen to fit the
     contents of each column, with a default of 10 characters for empty
     columns. you can specify fixed column widths by setting option
     'de.cellwidth' to the required fixed width (in characters). (set
     it to zero to return to variable widths).  The displayed width of
     any field is limited to 600 pixels (and by the window width).

See Also:

     'vi', 'edit': 'edit' uses 'dataentry' to edit data frames.

Examples:

     # call data entry with variables x and y
     ## Not run: data.entry(x,y)

