man page for as.matrix for data frames outdated?

    > df5 <- data.frame(toto=c("a","bb"), titi=c(9,999))
    > as.matrix(df5)

      toto titi
    1 "a"  "  9"
    2 "bb" "999"
...
2) the questionable decision to do this conversion using 'format'
   (leading to the addition of unnecessary white space) and not
   simply 'as.character'

It is possible that this decision was made because one use of
as.matrix(mixed-mode-data-frame) was for printing data.frames and
format(numberic-column) would line up the decimal points and
make one scientific-notation/or-not decision for the entire column.
(Splus3.4, c. 1996, printed data.frames with print(as.matrix(x)),
but by 1999 Splus4.7 was using print(format(x)).)

   R> df6<- data.frame(toto=c("a","bb","ccc"), titi=c(.9e-20,.99999,999.9))
   R> as.matrix(df6)
     toto  titi
   1 "a"   "9.0000e-21"
   2 "bb"  "9.9999e-01"
   3 "ccc" "9.9990e+02"
   R> df7<-data.frame(toto=c("a","bb","ccc"), titi=c(.9,.99999,999.9))
   R> as.matrix(df7)
     toto  titi
   1 "a"   "  0.90000"
   2 "bb"  "  0.99999"
   3 "ccc" "999.90000"

Once such a decision is made it is hard to change things, especially
when the benefit is slight.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bill Dunlap
Insightful Corporation
bill at insightful dot com
360-428-8146

 "All statements in this message represent the opinions of the author and do
 not necessarily reflect Insightful Corporation policy or position."