I'd like to use dplyr's programming magic, new to version 0.7.0, to coalesce
two columns together. Below, I've listed out a few of my attempts.
df <- data_frame(x = c(1, 2, NA), y = c(2, NA, 3))
# What I want to do:
mutate(df, y = coalesce(x, y))
# Here's the expected output:
#> # A tibble: 3 x 2
#> x y
#> <dbl> <dbl>
#> 1 1 1
#> 2 2 2
#> 3 NA 3
I thought fn1
would work, but it's treating varname
as character on the right-hand side.
fn1 <- function(varname) {
mutate(df, UQ(varname) := coalesce(x, !!varname))
}
fn1("y")
# Error in mutate_impl(.data, dots) :
# Evaluation error: Argument 2 must be type double, not character.
Another attempt with enquo
:
fn2 <- function(varname) {
varname <- enquo(varname)
mutate(df, varname := coalesce(x, !!varname))
}
fn2("y") # same error
Maybe I can splice with !!!
instead? (Spoiler: I can't.)
fn3 <- function(varname) {
varnames <- c("x", varname)
mutate(df, UQ(varname) := coalesce(!!! varnames))
}
fn3("y")
#> # A tibble: 3 x 2
#> x y
#> <dbl> <chr>
#> 1 1 x
#> 2 2 x
#> 3 NA x
fn4 <- function(varname) {
varnames <- quo(c("x", varname))
mutate(df, UQ(varname) := coalesce(!!! varnames))
}
fn4("y")
# Error in mutate_impl(.data, dots) :
# Column `y` must be length 3 (the number of rows) or one, not 2