simple if...else causes syntax error

from the help page of ?"if" (not "?if") you get:

Note that it is a common mistake to forget to put braces `({..})' 
around your statements, e.g., after `if(..)' or `for(...)'. In 
particular, you should not have a newline between `}' and `else' to 
avoid a syntax error ...

So you should use:

aaa <- 5
if ( aaa==5 ) {
   aaa <- 6
} else {
   aaa <- 7
}


Best,
Dimitris

----
Dimitris Rizopoulos
Ph.D. Student
Biostatistical Centre
School of Public Health
Catholic University of Leuven

Address: Kapucijnenvoer 35, Leuven, Belgium
Tel: +32/16/336899
Fax: +32/16/337015
Web: http://www.med.kuleuven.ac.be/biostat/
     http://www.student.kuleuven.ac.be/~m0390867/dimitris.htm


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "roger bos" <roger.bos at gmail.com>
To: <R-help at stat.math.ethz.ch>
Sent: Monday, March 07, 2005 4:16 PM
Subject: [R] simple if...else causes syntax error

I am trying to do the simplest thing in the world.  The following 
works:

aaa <- ifelse(aaa==5, 6, 7)

But if I want to change the if...else syntax instead, it gives 
errors
and assigns 7 to aaa.  Here is the problem code:

aaa <- 5
if ( aaa==5 ) {
  aaa <- 6
}
else {
  aaa <- 7
}

Here is the output:

aaa <- 5
            if ( aaa==5 ) {

+             aaa <- 6
+   }

            else {

Error: syntax error

aaa <- 7
}

Error: syntax error

Hope someone can solve this easy question for me.

BTW, how come "?if" does not pull up the help file for the 'if' 
statement?

Thanks,

Roger

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