Hi
I have written a whole bunch of methods for objects of class "octonion".
[
an octonion is a single column of an eight-row matrix. Octonions have
their own multiplication rules and are a generalization of quaternions,
which are columns of a four-row matrix.
]
So far I've done about a dozen generic functions such as seq.octonion(),
rep.octonion(), [<-.octonion(), and so on and so on.
Very nearly all of these functions are applicable to objects of
class "quaternion".
So, for example, I have a generic function Im.octonion():
R> Im.octonion
function (x)
{
Re(x) <- 0
return(x)
}
The definition of Im.quaternion() is exactly the same.
Sometimes the return value is an octonion:
Conj.octonion
function (x)
{
x <- as.matrix(x)
x[-1, ] <- -x[-1, ]
return(as.octonion(x))
}
So the last line of Conj.quaternion() would be "return(as.quaternion
(x))"
but would be otherwise identical.
A similar story holds for each of maybe twenty generic functions.
Nearly all the Rd files are similarly identical: the word "octonion"
replaces the word "octonion". I suppose "A" changes to "An" as well.
There is a small number of functions and datasets that are specific
to octonions.
What is Best Practice in this situation? I don't want to edit two
separate
packages in tandem. Is there a mechanism for doing what I want
in the context of a bundle?
--
Robin Hankin
Uncertainty Analyst
National Oceanography Centre, Southampton
European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK
tel 023-8059-7743
two almost identical packages: best practice
3 messages · robin hankin, Gabor Grothendieck, Seth Falcon
On 9/9/05, Robin Hankin <r.hankin at noc.soton.ac.uk> wrote:
Hi
I have written a whole bunch of methods for objects of class "octonion".
[
an octonion is a single column of an eight-row matrix. Octonions have
their own multiplication rules and are a generalization of quaternions,
which are columns of a four-row matrix.
]
So far I've done about a dozen generic functions such as seq.octonion(),
rep.octonion(), [<-.octonion(), and so on and so on.
Very nearly all of these functions are applicable to objects of
class "quaternion".
So, for example, I have a generic function Im.octonion():
R> Im.octonion
function (x)
{
Re(x) <- 0
return(x)
}
The definition of Im.quaternion() is exactly the same.
Sometimes the return value is an octonion:
Conj.octonion
function (x)
{
x <- as.matrix(x)
x[-1, ] <- -x[-1, ]
return(as.octonion(x))
}
So the last line of Conj.quaternion() would be "return(as.quaternion
(x))"
but would be otherwise identical.
A similar story holds for each of maybe twenty generic functions.
Nearly all the Rd files are similarly identical: the word "octonion"
replaces the word "octonion". I suppose "A" changes to "An" as well.
There is a small number of functions and datasets that are specific
to octonions.
What is Best Practice in this situation? I don't want to edit two
separate
packages in tandem. Is there a mechanism for doing what I want
in the context of a bundle?
Not sure what is best but some possibilities are to: - create a third S3 class and make your two classes subclasses of that or - make one of your classes a subclass of the other or - in some cases, you may be able to use the .default method for common code. You can also make use of NextMethod if you like though I am not sure if it will buy you much in this situation (see the dyn package for examples of the use of NextMethod).
On 9 Sep 2005, r.hankin at noc.soton.ac.uk wrote:
I have written a whole bunch of methods for objects of class "octonion". So far I've done about a dozen generic functions such as seq.octonion(), rep.octonion(), [<-.octonion(), and so on and so on. Very nearly all of these functions are applicable to objects of class "quaternion".
One solution would be to define a common base class (perhaps nionBase? ;-) and put the common methods there. So in S3 I guess you'd have an Im.nionBase function and your octonions and quaternions would be subclasses of nionBase.
(x))" but would be otherwise identical. A similar story holds for each of maybe twenty generic functions. Nearly all the Rd files are similarly identical: the word "octonion" replaces the word "octonion". I suppose "A" changes to "An" as well.
If you document the generics for the base class, I think that would work. Otherwise, find/replace.
There is a small number of functions and datasets that are specific to octonions. What is Best Practice in this situation? I don't want to edit two separate packages in tandem. Is there a mechanism for doing what I want in the context of a bundle?
If they need to be in separate packages, perhaps you have three packages: nionBase quaternion (depends on nionBase) etc. HTH, + seth