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For each row in an R dataframe

Asked 2009-11-09T04:08:53.147
217

I have a dataframe, and for each row in that dataframe I have to do some complicated lookups and append some data to a file.

The dataFrame contains scientific results for selected wells from 96 well plates used in biological research so I want to do something like:

for (well in dataFrame) {
  wellName <- well$name    # string like "H1"
  plateName <- well$plate  # string like "plate67"
  wellID <- getWellID(wellName, plateName)
  cat(paste(wellID, well$value1, well$value2, sep=","), file=outputFile)
}

In my procedural world, I'd do something like:

for (row in dataFrame) {
    #look up stuff using data from the row
    #write stuff to the file
}

What is the "R way" to do this?

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1 Answer

110

You can try this, using apply() function

> d
  name plate value1 value2
1    A    P1      1    100
2    B    P2      2    200
3    C    P3      3    300

> f <- function(x, output) {
 wellName <- x[1]
 plateName <- x[2]
 wellID <- 1
 print(paste(wellID, x[3], x[4], sep=","))
 cat(paste(wellID, x[3], x[4], sep=","), file= output, append = T, fill = T)
}

> apply(d, 1, f, output = 'outputfile')
answered 2009-11-09T14:02:05.553

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