Coding dummy variables and conditional statements in R

Question

I am familiar with coding dummy variables in this way to use in regression analysis (example is from coding for region in panel data)

    dum1<-ifelse(var=="condition",1,0)

What I’m wondering is why when I attempt to code it this way

    if(variable=="condition"){dum1<-1} else {dum1<-0}

I get this:

Warning message: In if (variable == "condition") { : the condition has length > 1 and only the first element will be used

Can someone help explain this to me? Thanks