coerce a function call into a string

Question

I am trying to understand what is a call object in R and to coerce it to characters. However my efforts have been vain so far.

myFun=function(a=1) {   x=sys.call()   return(as.character(x)) }

x=myFun(a=2) # here I would like to get the string "myFun(a = 2)"

I have also been looking for the function that prints a function call (something like print.call). But I couldn't find it.

Does anybody here knows how call objects are printed?

There may be a simpler way, but `myFun <- function(a=1) { as.character(as.expression(sys.call())) }` — alistaire, Sep 14 '16 at 05:21

score 5 · Accepted Answer · answered Sep 14 '16 at 05:24

5

We can use match.call() with deparse

myFun <- function(a=1) { 
            deparse(match.call())       
  }

myFun(a=2)
#[1] "myFun(a = 2)"

Or replace match.call() with sys.call() in the function

answered Sep 14 '16 at 05:24

akrun

1 Answers1