help with writing function

Does this do what you want:

IED <- function(risk){

	tmp <- outer(risk,risk,"-")
	tmp <- abs(tmp)
	return(tmp[lower.tri(tmp)])

}
Gregory L. Snow Ph.D.
Statistical Data Center, IHC
greg.snow at intermountainmail.org
(801) 408-8111

> -----Original Message-----
> From: r-help-bounces at stat.math.ethz.ch 
> [mailto:r-help-bounces at stat.math.ethz.ch] On Behalf Of 
> Oarabile Molaodi
> Sent: Tuesday, December 13, 2005 5:00 AM
> To: r-help at stat.math.ethz.ch
> Subject: [R] help with writing function
> 
> I'm trying to write a function that takes a vector of length 
> n  and then takes the first value of the vector i.e j=1 and 
> forms a new vector of length n (i.e replicate the first value 
> n times). This function will then calculate the absoulte 
> difference of the original vector and the new vector and 
> store the results omitting the difference between the value 
> and itself. This function should be able to repeat the 
> procedure for each of the j's i.e j=2 to n. The results 
> should all be stored together. Below is  what I've tried so 
> far but it seems to work only for
> j=1 .
> 
> Your help will be highly appreciated.
> IED<-function(risk){
>  n<-length(risk)
>  i<-c(1:n)
> Diff<-numeric()
> for(j in 1:n){
> relrisk<-risk
> relrisk[i]<-relrisk[j]
> Difference<-abs(risk-relrisk)
> Difference<-Difference[-c(1:j)]
> Difference<-append(Diff,Difference)
> return(Difference)
> }
> }
> 
> 
> Oarabile
> 
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