use_var_names {labelr}

Swap (back) Original Variable Names for Name Labels

Description

"Undo" or reverse use_name_labs operation, restoring the data.frame's original variable names (assuming they were previously swapped out for labels using use_name_labs).

Usage

use_var_names(data, vars = NULL)

uvn(data, vars = NULL)

Arguments

data

a data.frame.

vars

the names of the columns (variables) to which the action will be applied. If NULL, all current variable names (presumably, the labels you turned on using use_name_labs will be swapped out for their original variable names available names.

Details

Note: uvn is a compact alias for use_var_names: they do the same thing, and the former is easier to type

use_var_names works with add_name_labs, get_name_labs, use_name_labs, and drop_name_labs, to facilitate the creation, accessing, substitution (swap out, swap back in), and destruction of variable name labels for variable names. Each variable (column) of a data.frame can receive one and only one "name label," which typically is a noun phrase that expounds the meaning of contents of the variable's name (e.g., "Weight in ounces at birth" might be a name label for a column called "wgt"). add_name_labs associates these labels with variables in a data.frame, use_var_names "turns off" the name labels are currently being used as variable names as a result of calling use_name_labs – that is, use_var_names "undoes" or reverses use_name_labs – assuming none of your intervening calls have altered or dropped your data.frame's name label meta-data attributes.

Value

A data.frame.

Examples

# variable names and their labels
names_labs_vec <- c(
  "mpg" = "Miles/(US) gallon",
  "cyl" = "Number of cylinders",
  "disp" = "Displacement (cu.in.)",
  "hp" = "Gross horsepower",
  "drat" = "Rear axle ratio",
  "wt" = "Weight (1000 lbs)",
  "qsec" = "1/4 mile time",
  "vs" = "Engine (0 = V-shaped, 1 = straight)",
  "am" = "Transmission (0 = automatic, 1 = manual)",
  "gear" = "Number of forward gears",
  "carb" = "Number of carburetors"
)

# add the above name labeling scheme
mt2 <- add_name_labs(mtcars, name.labs = names_labs_vec)

# use the name labeling scheme (i.e., swap out column/variable names for
# ...their name labels)
mt2 <- use_name_labs(mt2)

# compare these two - concision vs. informativeness
as.data.frame(sapply(mtcars, mean))
as.data.frame(sapply(mt2, mean))

# compare the plot labeling we get with mtcars
with(mtcars, hist(mpg))

get_name_labs(mt2) # get the lab of interest, and paste it into `` below
with(mt2, hist(`Miles/(US) gallon`))

# regression - this is easier to type
lm(mpg ~ cyl, data = mtcars)

# regression with name labs - more painful to type/copy-paste, but maybe
# ...the more informative labels are worth it (your mileage may vary)
# let's see the name labels, then copy paste mpg and cyl labs from console to
# ...where we need them in the lm() call
get_name_labs(mt2) # copy from this call's console output
lm(`Miles/(US) gallon` ~ `Number of cylinders`, data = mt2) # paste into `` here

# same results, more informative labels, more steps/hand-jamming pain
# can also turn them on (semi) permanently
# ...then you can use mt2$ syntax in Rstudio, and Rstudio will autocomplete,
# then you can backspace delete the "mt2$"
# if you like
mt2 <- use_name_labs(mt2)
lm(`Miles/(US) gallon` ~ `Number of cylinders`, data = mt2)
lm(mpg ~ cyl, data = use_var_names(mt2))

# let's turn them back off
mt2 <- use_var_names(mt2) # use_var_names() as "undo" of use_name_labs()

# back to our previous variable names
head(mt2)
# even with name labels "off," mt2 retains labelr attribute meta-data
# ...which we can strip away using strip_labs()
identical(strip_labs(mt2), mtcars) # and we're back