What the difference between .Golbalenv and package:base?

Dear rusers,

    As we know, there are a lot of environments in the search() path, such as   .Golbalenv and package:base .
And  i can just use  .Golbalenv$a ,.Golbalenv$b to use the virable,  but i must use as.envrionment("package:base") to find virable, i feel it not very convenient.


For example, when i use the following codes to add a new env into the search() path.

tmp<-attach(NULL,name="new_name")
assign("a",2,envir=as.environment("new_name"))
a

[1] 2

as.environment("new_name")$a

[1] 2
 I must always convert the name to the environment, How can i just use the following form:

tmp<-attach(NULL,name="new_name")
assign("a",2,envir=new_name)   #like using  .GlobalEnv
a

[1] 2

new_name$a

[1] 2


--

PO SU
mail: desolator88 at 163.com
Majored in Statistics from SJTU

On Mon, Aug 25, 2014 at 1:07 AM, PO SU <rhelpmaillist at 163.com> wrote:

Dear rusers,

    As we know, there are a lot of environments in the search() path, such as   .Golbalenv and package:base .
And  i can just use  .Golbalenv$a ,.Golbalenv$b to use the virable,  but i must use as.envrionment("package:base") to find virable, i feel it not very convenient.


For example, when i use the following codes to add a new env into the search() path.

tmp<-attach(NULL,name="new_name")
assign("a",2,envir=as.environment("new_name"))
a

[1] 2

as.environment("new_name")$a

[1] 2
 I must always convert the name to the environment, How can i just use the following form:

tmp<-attach(NULL,name="new_name")
assign("a",2,envir=new_name)   #like using  .GlobalEnv
a

[1] 2

new_name$a

[1] 2


--

PO SU
mail: desolator88 at 163.com
Majored in Statistics from SJTU

You might want to try:

new_name <- new.env();
# or if you prefer (such as in a function)
assign("new_name",new.env(),envir=.GlobalEnv);
#
# You may now assign variable into this similar to:
new_name$a <- 2;
gvar <- new_name$a; # get the variable a from environment new_name
gvar <- get("a",envir=new_name); #same thing, but wordy
attach(new_name);
a
gvar <- a;


-- 
There is nothing more pleasant than traveling and meeting new people!
Genghis Khan

Maranatha! <><
John McKown

As you know, in the search path, there is .GlobalEnv, package:stats and so
on, why do we need to convert the character "package:stats" to the stats
environment.
I mean, why don't let package:stats be a environment type object like
.GlobalEnv,but let it be a string ?
Hope you understand my meaning for my pool english expression way.

new_name<-new.env();
attach(new_name)
search()

assign("a",2,pos="new_name")
a

ls()

ls(pos="new_name")

new_name <- new.env()
attach(new_name)
search()

assign("a",2,"new_name")
ls()

new_name$a

get("a",pos="new_name")

new_name$a <- 'x'
new_name$a;

get("a",pos="new_name")

attach(NULL,name="new_name")
search()

assign("a",2,pos="new_name")
ls()

ls(pos="new_name")

a

# or even
ls("new_name")

search()

ls(pos="package:stats")

get("time",pos="package:stats")

x<-get("time",pos="package:stats")
x

# note that the get() basically created a variable in the global environment whose value was
# the same as in the package. But you can change the value of "x" in the global environment
# and it won't affect the value in the package. And vice versa, if you could update "x" in
# the package, but that can't be done because packages seem to be locked and read-only.

--
PO SU
mail: desolator88 at 163.com
Majored in Statistics from SJTU

Please be very aware of the following, very confusing fact:
Referencing a variable can not have the expected results.

new_name <- new.env()
attach(new_name)
search()

 [1] ".GlobalEnv"        "new_name"          "tools:rstudio"
"package:stats"
 [5] "package:graphics"  "package:grDevices" "package:utils"
"package:datasets"
 [9] "package:methods"   "Autoloads"         "package:base"

assign("a",2,"new_name")
ls()

[1] "new_name"

new_name$a

NULL

get("a",pos="new_name")

[1] 2

new_name$a <- 'x'
new_name$a;

[1] "x"

get("a",pos="new_name")

[1] 2

attach(NULL,name="new_name")
new_name<-as.environment("new_name")
assign("a",2,pos="new_name")
get("a",pos="new_name")

new_name$a

ls(pos="new_name")

new_name$b<-'b'
ls(pos="new_name")

get('b',pos='new_name')

environmentName(.GlobalEnv)

as.environment(".GlobalEnv")

as.environment("R_GlobalEnv")

.GlobalEnv

environmentName("package:stats")

?as.environment("package:stats")

On Mon, Aug 25, 2014 at 11:19 AM, PO SU <rhelpmaillist at 163.com> wrote:

As you know, in the search path, there is .GlobalEnv, package:stats and so
on, why do we need to convert the character "package:stats" to the stats
environment.
I mean, why don't let package:stats be a environment type object like
.GlobalEnv,but let it be a string ?
Hope you understand my meaning for my pool english expression way.

Yes, you have  Sorry for my misunderstanding of what were originally
saying. I _think_ that I now understand. The fault is likely my
concentrating on the wrong part of your original email. To test my
ability to understand, I submit the following possibility:

new_name<-new.env();
attach(new_name)
search()

[1] ".GlobalEnv"        "new_name"          "new_name"
"tools:rstudio"
[5] "package:graphics"  "package:grDevices" "package:utils"
"package:datasets"
[9] "package:methods"   "Autoloads"         "package:base"

assign("a",2,pos="new_name")
a

[1] 2

ls()

[1] "new_name"

ls(pos="new_name")

[1] "a"

Note the use of pos= instead of envir=. That seems to be the key here.
I hope this was of more use to you. One problem that I have noticed is
that you can not get to the value of "a" by using "new_name$a", but
must use the get() function like: get('a',pos='new_name');

Please be very aware of the following, very confusing fact:
Referencing a variable can not have the expected results.

new_name <- new.env()
attach(new_name)
search()

[1] ".GlobalEnv"        "new_name"          "tools:rstudio"
"package:stats"
[5] "package:graphics"  "package:grDevices" "package:utils"
"package:datasets"
[9] "package:methods"   "Autoloads"         "package:base"

assign("a",2,"new_name")
ls()

[1] "new_name"

new_name$a

NULL

get("a",pos="new_name")

[1] 2

new_name$a <- 'x'
new_name$a;

[1] "x"

get("a",pos="new_name")

[1] 2

If you wanted to use string values in the first two commands above,
then perhaps:

attach(NULL,name="new_name")
search()

[1] ".GlobalEnv"        "new_name"          "tools:rstudio"
"package:graphics"
[5] "package:grDevices" "package:utils"     "package:datasets"
"package:methods"
[9] "Autoloads"         "package:base"

assign("a",2,pos="new_name")
ls()

character(0)

ls(pos="new_name")

[1] "a"

a

[1] 2

# or even
ls("new_name")

[1] "a"

Likewise you can do:

search()

[1] ".GlobalEnv"        "tools:rstudio"     "package:stats"
"package:graphics"
[5] "package:grDevices" "package:utils"     "package:datasets"
"package:methods"
[9] "Autoloads"         "package:base"

ls(pos="package:stats")

 [1] "acf"                  "acf2AR"               "add.scope"
 [4] "add1"                 "addmargins"           "aggregate"
 [7] "aggregate.data.frame" "aggregate.ts"         "AIC"
[10] "alias"                "anova"                "ansari.test"
...
[436] "variable.names"       "varimax"              "vcov"
[439] "weighted.mean"        "weighted.residuals"   "weights"
[442] "wilcox.test"          "window"               "window<-"
[445] "write.ftable"         "xtabs"

get("time",pos="package:stats")

function (x, ...)
UseMethod("time")
<bytecode: 0x000000000a4e8b00>
<environment: namespace:stats>

x<-get("time",pos="package:stats")
x

function (x, ...)
UseMethod("time")
<bytecode: 0x000000000a4e8b00>
<environment: namespace:stats>

# note that the get() basically created a variable in the global environment whose value was
# the same as in the package. But you can change the value of "x" in the global environment
# and it won't affect the value in the package. And vice versa, if you could update "x" in
# the package, but that can't be done because packages seem to be locked and read-only.

--
PO SU
mail: desolator88 at 163.com
Majored in Statistics from SJTU

-- 
There is nothing more pleasant than traveling and meeting new people!
Genghis Khan

Maranatha! <><
John McKown

Tks for all your details, after your introduction, i really read the ?attach carefully, and i now understand the argument "pos" now, but in my opnion, the details in the function "attach" may do the as.environment(pos) for me.
And i also understand that, "attach" will copy the attached envir,and add the copied envir into the search path list as you showed  the examples to me.
After all, i want to ask a last question:
I notice that,

environmentName(.GlobalEnv)

[1] "R_GlobalEnv"

as.environment(".GlobalEnv")

<environment: R_GlobalEnv>

as.environment("R_GlobalEnv")

Error in as.environment("R_GlobalEnv") :
  no item called "R_GlobalEnv" on the search list

.GlobalEnv

<environment: R_GlobalEnv>

environmentName("package:stats")

[1] ""

as.environment("package:stats")

<environment: package:stats>
attr(,"name")
[1] "package:stats"
attr(,"path")
[1] "C:/Program Files/R/R-3.1.1/library/stats"


I am really confused now, while as.environment("package:stats") can be work by convert the name of the environment stats, the environmentName returns "" !
And get the .GlobalEnv from ".GlobalEnv" ,but can't form "R_GlobalEnv" which is actually the name of the environment.

Put simply,
  .GlobalEnv    stores objects you create
  package:base  contains functions and objects provided by R itself

You don?t need to use   .GlobalEnv$a   to use the variable named a. Just
is ?a? by itself.

a <- 4
b <- 2*a
print(a)
print(b)

Not necessary to use
 print(.GlobalEnv$a)

Similarly, to find an object in the base package, just type its name.

I don?t know what you are trying to do, or why you think you have to use
.GlobalEnv$a   
But in more than 20 years of using R for many different tasks, I have
never had to do that.

Furthermore, if you are new to R (which I would guess is the case), it
seems unlikely to me that you need to work with environments or use
attach() or assign(). In the vast majority of cases there are simpler ways
that are easier to understand.

You are aware, I hope, that

 > ls('.GlobalEnv')
 > ls(1)
 > ls()

all return the same result?


-- 
Don MacQueen

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
7000 East Ave., L-627
Livermore, CA 94550
925-423-1062





On 8/24/14, 11:07 PM, "PO SU" <rhelpmaillist at 163.com> wrote:

Dear rusers,

   As we know, there are a lot of environments in the search() path,
such as   .Golbalenv and package:base .
And  i can just use  .Golbalenv$a ,.Golbalenv$b to use the virable,  but
i must use as.envrionment("package:base") to find virable, i feel it not
very convenient.


For example, when i use the following codes to add a new env into the
search() path.

tmp<-attach(NULL,name="new_name")
assign("a",2,envir=as.environment("new_name"))
a

[1] 2

as.environment("new_name")$a

[1] 2
I must always convert the name to the environment, How can i just use
the following form:

tmp<-attach(NULL,name="new_name")
assign("a",2,envir=new_name)   #like using  .GlobalEnv
a

[1] 2

new_name$a

[1] 2







--

PO SU
mail: desolator88 at 163.com
Majored in Statistics from SJTU

First, sorry for my pool english expression which make you
misunderstanding of my original purpose.

Sometimes, suppose ?a object in both stats and base, then i type the
object name, then after R search the search() list, R will use the
object in stats, is it right?( I just suppose, stats can be any package
which libraried into R.)
Then i know that, .GlobalEnv or globalenv() is the global environment
object, baseenv() returns the base environment object.
I also know that, i can convert the environment name into the real
environment object by using stats<-as.environment("package:stats"),
?And the stats environment's name can be obtained using
environmentName(stats), but it returns "". ? (why?)
Then i use ?environmentName(.GlobalEnv) then i get "R_GlobalEnv", then
i use?as.environment("R_GlobalEnv"), it does't work.(why?)


In one word, as.environment(x), x is somthing not the environment's
name.?


But, when i add a environment into the search() list, after i
attr(newenvir,"name")<-"new_name"
I can use the??as.environment("new_name") to obtain the added
environment. (why?)


Hope you understand my meaning :)












--

PO SU
mail: desolator88 at 163.com 
Majored in Statistics from SJTU



At 2014-08-26 02:51:54, "MacQueen, Don" <macqueen1 at llnl.gov> wrote:

Put simply,
  .GlobalEnv    stores objects you create
  package:base  contains functions and objects provided by R itself

You don?t need to use   .GlobalEnv$a   to use the variable named a.

Just

is ?a? by itself.

a <- 4
b <- 2*a
print(a)
print(b)

Not necessary to use
 print(.GlobalEnv$a)

Similarly, to find an object in the base package, just type its name.

I don?t know what you are trying to do, or why you think you have to

use

.GlobalEnv$a   
But in more than 20 years of using R for many different tasks, I have
never had to do that.

Furthermore, if you are new to R (which I would guess is the case), it
seems unlikely to me that you need to work with environments or use
attach() or assign(). In the vast majority of cases there are simpler

ways

that are easier to understand.

You are aware, I hope, that

 > ls('.GlobalEnv')
 > ls(1)
 > ls()

all return the same result?


-- 
Don MacQueen

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
7000 East Ave., L-627
Livermore, CA 94550
925-423-1062





On 8/24/14, 11:07 PM, "PO SU" <rhelpmaillist at 163.com> wrote:

Dear rusers,

   As we know, there are a lot of environments in the search() path,
such as   .Golbalenv and package:base .
And  i can just use  .Golbalenv$a ,.Golbalenv$b to use the virable, 

but

i must use as.envrionment("package:base") to find virable, i feel it

not

very convenient.


For example, when i use the following codes to add a new env into the
search() path.

tmp<-attach(NULL,name="new_name")
assign("a",2,envir=as.environment("new_name"))
a

[1] 2

as.environment("new_name")$a

[1] 2
I must always convert the name to the environment, How can i just

use

the following form:

tmp<-attach(NULL,name="new_name")
assign("a",2,envir=new_name)   #like using  .GlobalEnv
a

[1] 2

new_name$a

[1] 2







--

PO SU
mail: desolator88 at 163.com
Majored in Statistics from SJTU

First, sorry for my pool english expression which make you misunderstanding of my original purpose.

Sometimes, suppose  a object in both stats and base, then i type the object name, then after R search the search() list, R will use the object in stats, is it right?( I just suppose, stats can be any package which libraried into R.)
Then i know that, .GlobalEnv or globalenv() is the global environment object, baseenv() returns the base environment object.
I also know that, i can convert the environment name into the real environment object by using stats<-as.environment("package:stats"),  And the stats environment's name can be obtained using environmentName(stats), but it returns "".   (why?)
Then i use  environmentName(.GlobalEnv) then i get "R_GlobalEnv", then i use as.environment("R_GlobalEnv"), it does't work.(why?)


In one word, as.environment(x), x is somthing not the environment's name.


But, when i add a environment into the search() list, after i attr(newenvir,"name")<-"new_name"
I can use the  as.environment("new_name") to obtain the added environment. (why?)


Hope you understand my meaning :)












--

PO SU
mail: desolator88 at 163.com
Majored in Statistics from SJTU



At 2014-08-26 02:51:54, "MacQueen, Don" <macqueen1 at llnl.gov> wrote:

Put simply,
  .GlobalEnv    stores objects you create
  package:base  contains functions and objects provided by R itself

You don?t need to use   .GlobalEnv$a   to use the variable named a. Just
is ?a? by itself.

a <- 4
b <- 2*a
print(a)
print(b)

Not necessary to use
 print(.GlobalEnv$a)

Similarly, to find an object in the base package, just type its name.

I don?t know what you are trying to do, or why you think you have to use
.GlobalEnv$a
But in more than 20 years of using R for many different tasks, I have
never had to do that.

Furthermore, if you are new to R (which I would guess is the case), it
seems unlikely to me that you need to work with environments or use
attach() or assign(). In the vast majority of cases there are simpler ways
that are easier to understand.

You are aware, I hope, that

 > ls('.GlobalEnv')
 > ls(1)
 > ls()

all return the same result?


--
Don MacQueen

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
7000 East Ave., L-627
Livermore, CA 94550
925-423-1062





On 8/24/14, 11:07 PM, "PO SU" <rhelpmaillist at 163.com> wrote:

Dear rusers,

   As we know, there are a lot of environments in the search() path,
such as   .Golbalenv and package:base .
And  i can just use  .Golbalenv$a ,.Golbalenv$b to use the virable,  but
i must use as.envrionment("package:base") to find virable, i feel it not
very convenient.


For example, when i use the following codes to add a new env into the
search() path.

tmp<-attach(NULL,name="new_name")
assign("a",2,envir=as.environment("new_name"))
a

[1] 2

as.environment("new_name")$a

[1] 2
I must always convert the name to the environment, How can i just use
the following form:

tmp<-attach(NULL,name="new_name")
assign("a",2,envir=new_name)   #like using  .GlobalEnv
a

[1] 2

new_name$a

[1] 2







--

PO SU
mail: desolator88 at 163.com
Majored in Statistics from SJTU

as.environment(characterString) maps an entry from the output of
search() to the environment at the named position in the search list.
as.environment(number) maps an index into the output of search() to
the the environment at that position in the search list.  If
'characterString' is not in the output of search() or 'number' is not
in seq_along(search()) then as.environment throws an error.  As far as
I can tell, as.environment does not deal with the name of the
environment at all.  (When you attach an environment, attach will add
a name attribute to the copied environment so the attached
environment's name matches the name on the output of search(), but I
don't think as.environment ever looks at that attribute.)

Bill Dunlap
TIBCO Software
wdunlap tibco.com


On Mon, Aug 25, 2014 at 9:07 PM, PO SU <rhelpmaillist at 163.com> wrote:

First, sorry for my pool english expression which make you misunderstanding of my original purpose.

Sometimes, suppose  a object in both stats and base, then i type the object name, then after R search the search() list, R will use the object in stats, is it right?( I just suppose, stats can be any package which libraried into R.)
Then i know that, .GlobalEnv or globalenv() is the global environment object, baseenv() returns the base environment object.
I also know that, i can convert the environment name into the real environment object by using stats<-as.environment("package:stats"),  And the stats environment's name can be obtained using environmentName(stats), but it returns "".   (why?)
Then i use  environmentName(.GlobalEnv) then i get "R_GlobalEnv", then i use as.environment("R_GlobalEnv"), it does't work.(why?)


In one word, as.environment(x), x is somthing not the environment's name.


But, when i add a environment into the search() list, after i attr(newenvir,"name")<-"new_name"
I can use the  as.environment("new_name") to obtain the added environment. (why?)


Hope you understand my meaning :)












--

PO SU
mail: desolator88 at 163.com
Majored in Statistics from SJTU



At 2014-08-26 02:51:54, "MacQueen, Don" <macqueen1 at llnl.gov> wrote:

Put simply,
  .GlobalEnv    stores objects you create
  package:base  contains functions and objects provided by R itself

You don?t need to use   .GlobalEnv$a   to use the variable named a. Just
is ?a? by itself.

a <- 4
b <- 2*a
print(a)
print(b)

Not necessary to use
 print(.GlobalEnv$a)

Similarly, to find an object in the base package, just type its name.

I don?t know what you are trying to do, or why you think you have to use
.GlobalEnv$a
But in more than 20 years of using R for many different tasks, I have
never had to do that.

Furthermore, if you are new to R (which I would guess is the case), it
seems unlikely to me that you need to work with environments or use
attach() or assign(). In the vast majority of cases there are simpler ways
that are easier to understand.

You are aware, I hope, that

 > ls('.GlobalEnv')
 > ls(1)
 > ls()

all return the same result?


--
Don MacQueen

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
7000 East Ave., L-627
Livermore, CA 94550
925-423-1062





On 8/24/14, 11:07 PM, "PO SU" <rhelpmaillist at 163.com> wrote:

Dear rusers,

   As we know, there are a lot of environments in the search() path,
such as   .Golbalenv and package:base .
And  i can just use  .Golbalenv$a ,.Golbalenv$b to use the virable,  but
i must use as.envrionment("package:base") to find virable, i feel it not
very convenient.


For example, when i use the following codes to add a new env into the
search() path.

tmp<-attach(NULL,name="new_name")
assign("a",2,envir=as.environment("new_name"))
a

[1] 2

as.environment("new_name")$a

[1] 2
I must always convert the name to the environment, How can i just use
the following form:

tmp<-attach(NULL,name="new_name")
assign("a",2,envir=new_name)   #like using  .GlobalEnv
a

[1] 2

new_name$a

[1] 2







--

PO SU
mail: desolator88 at 163.com
Majored in Statistics from SJTU