file handles in R

[Albert-Jan Roskam]

Hi,

In Python one can easily access file handles, and with the resolve() method it is even easier:

file handle tempdir /name = "c:/users/temp".

begin program python.
import spss, spssaux
file_handles = {f[0]: f[1] for f in spss.GetFileHandles()}
tempdir = file_handles["tempdir"]
alsoTempdir = spssaux.FileHandles().resolve("tempdir")
end program.

Now, in R (of course) things are not as straightforward. Is the following the best way to easily access file handles in R? (I am aware of Sys.getenv, but I am looking for something more generic):

begin program r.
fh <- spssdata.GetFileHandles()
file_handles <- sapply(fh, function(x) x[2])   # shudder
names(file_handles) <-  sapply(fh, function(x) x[1])  # shudder once more
tempdir <- file_handles["tempdir"]
end program.

spssdata.GetFileHandles.resolve("tempdir") might be an option, but it does not exist AFAIK.

Regards,
Albert-Jan


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