Using the paste() function in R will be straight and simple. In this tutorial let’s see how we can use paste() to concatenate the strings and values.
paste(): Takes multiple elements from the multiple vectors and concatenates them into a single element.
Along with paste() function, R has another function named paste0(). Yes, you heard it right.
paste0(): The paste0() function has space as its default separator and limits your opportunities in the output as well.
Let’s start with the syntax
The syntax of the paste() function is,
paste(x,sep=" ", collapse=NULL)
Here:
- x = vector having values.
- sep = separator symbols that can be used to separate the elements.
- collapse = It gives a value to collapse.
The syntax of the paste0() function is,
paste(x,collapse=NULL)
Where,
- x = vector having the values.
- collapse = It gives a value to collapse.
How to use the paste() function in R?
A simple paste() will take multiple elements as inputs and concatenate those inputs into a single string. The elements will be separated by a space as the default option. But you can also change the separator value using the ‘sep’ parameter.
paste(1,'two',3,'four',5,'six')
Output = “1 two 3 four 5 six”
Using paste() with a separator argument
The separator parameter in the paste() function will deal with the value or the symbols which are used to separate the elements, which is taken as input by the paste() function.
paste(1,'two',3,'four',5,'six',sep = "_")
Output = “1_two_3_four_5_six”
paste(1,'two',3,'four',5,'six',sep = "&")
Output = “1&two&3&four&5&six”
The paste() function with collapse argument
When you pass a paste argument to a vector, the separator parameter will not work. Hence here comes the collapse parameter, which is highly useful when you are dealing with the vectors. It represents the symbol or values which separate the elements in the vector.
paste(c(1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8),collapse = "_")
Output = “1_2_3_4_5_6_7_8”
paste(c('Rita','Sam','John','Jat','Cook','Reaper'),collapse = ' and ')
Output = “Rita and Sam and John and Jat and Cook and Reaper”
The paste() function with both separator and collapse arguments
Let’s see how separator and collapse arguments will work. The separator will deal with the values which are to be placed in between the set of elements and the collapse argument will make use of specific value to concatenate the elements into single -string.
paste(c('a','b'),1:10,sep = '_',collapse = ' and ')
Output = "a_1 and b_2 and a_3 and b_4 and a_5 and b_6 and a_7 and b_8 and a_9 and b_1
paste(c('John','Ray'),1:5,sep = '=',collapse = ' and ')
Output = “John=1 and Ray=2 and John=3 and Ray=4 and John=5”
How to use paste0() function in R
Paste0() function acts just like paste function but with a default separator.
Let’s see how paste0() function works.
paste0('df',1:6)
Output = “df1” “df2” “df3” “df4” “df5” “df6”
You can see that the paste0() function has the default separator value. Now let’s see how paste0() function works with the collapse parameter.
Using the paste0() function with collapse argument
The collapse argument in the paste0() function is the character, symbol, or a value used to separate the elements.
paste0('df',1:5,collapse = '_')
Output = “df1_df2_df3_df4_df5”
paste0('df',1:5,collapse = ' > ')
Output = “df1 > df2 > df3 > df4 > df5”
As you may observe the above results, the paste0() function returns a string with a default separator and a specified collapse argument as well.
How to use paste() function in a data frame in R
You can also use the paste() function to paste the values or elements present in a data frame.
Let’s see how it works with the ‘BOD’ data set.
datasets::BODpaste(BOD$Time,sep = ',',collapse = '_')
Output = “1_2_3_4_5_7”
datasets::BODpaste(BOD$demand,sep = ',',collapse = '_')
Output = “8.3_10.3_19_16_15.6_19.8”
Conclusion
R offers numerous functions to make your analysis simpler but efficient. Among them the paste() function is very useful in concatenating the strings and the elements into a single string as well.
In this tutorial we have gone through various aspects of the paste() and paste0() functions. Both these will be really helpful in data analysis.
That’s all for now. Stay tuned for more R tutorials. Happy pasting!!!
More study:
FAQs
You can use the paste() and paste0() functions in R to concatenate elements of a vector into a single string. The paste() function concatenates strings using a space as the default separator. The paste0() function concatenates strings using no space as the default separator.
How do I paste a character into R? ›
How do I paste text into R?
- To concate strings in R, use the paste() function.
- The paste() is a built-in R function used to concatenate vectors by converting them into character.
- The paste0() function in R concatenates the vector without any separator.
- The syntax of the paste() function is,
The difference between: paste and paste0 is that paste function provides a separator operator, whereas paste0 does not. print ()- Print function is used for printing the output of any object in R. This recipe demonstrates an example on paste, paste0 and print function in R.
How do you define a function in R? ›
R Functions
- Creating a Function. To create a function, use the function() keyword: Example. ...
- Call a Function. To call a function, use the function name followed by parenthesis, like my_function(): Example. ...
- Default Parameter Value. The following example shows how to use a default parameter value.
Keyboard Command: Control (Ctrl) + V. Remember "V" as. The PASTE command is used to place the information that you have stored on your virtual clipboard in the location that you have placed your mouse cursor.
Why is paste used in R? ›
paste() method in R programming is used to concatenate the two string values by separating with delimiters.
How do you use Paste? ›
Things You Should Know
- On Windows and Linux, press Ctrl + C to copy a highlighted phrase and Ctrl + V to paste it.
- On Mac, press ⌘ Cmd + C to copy and ⌘ Cmd + V to paste.
- On mobile phones, highlight text and select Copy from the menu that pops up. To paste, tap and hold where you want the text and select Paste.
Example 1: Concatenate Strings in R
- # create two strings.
- string1 <- "Programiz"
- string2 <- "Pro"
- # using paste() to concatenate two strings.
- result = paste(string1, string2)
- print(result)
In RStudio, click File -> New File -> R Script (or Ctrl+Shift+N) to create a script, which you can save like a text file. Copy-paste all your code into that and click Ctrl+A (to select all lines) and Ctrl+R to run all at once.
What is the difference between paste () and cat () in R? ›
The cat() function will output the concatenated string to the console, but it won't store the results in a variable. The paste() function will output the concatenated string to the console and it will store the results in a character variable.
Techopedia Explains Copy And Paste
Similar to the cut and paste technique, the copy action selects the data and stores it in a temporary location often known as the clipboard, which is usually invisible to the user. When the paste command is issued, the data from the clipboard is passed to the specific position.
How do I paste multiple columns in R? ›
To concatenate two columns you can use the <code>paste()</code> function. For example, if you want to combine the two columns A and B in the dataframe df you can use the following code: <code>df['AB'] <- paste(df$A, df$B)</code>.
How many types of functions are in R? ›
These three types of methods can be used to find a correlation between two vectors: Pearson correlation. Kendall correlation. Spearman correlation.
How many functions are there in R? ›
19 Functions | R for Data Science.
How do you use the function command in R? ›
Calling a Function in R
To do so, we just put the punction name and added the necessary arguments inside the parenthesis. In R, function arguments can be passed by position, by name (so-called named arguments), by mixing position-based and name-based matching, or by omitting the arguments at all.
What is paste and explain? ›
1. Paste is an operating system and programs action that lets you copy an object or text from one location and place it to another location. For example, you could copy a URL sent to you through chat, e-mail, or an IM, and paste that URL into a web browser to visit the web page.
Whats paste means? ›
/ˈpeɪst/ noun. Britannica Dictionary definition of PASTE. 1. [singular] : a soft, wet mixture of usually a powder and a liquid.
What do you mean by paste? ›
paste noun [U] (STICKY SUBSTANCE)
a thick soft sticky substance made by mixing a liquid with a powder, especially to make a type of glue: flour-and-water paste. wallpaper paste. a thick soft substance made by crushing and mixing things such as fish, fruit, or vegetables for food: tomato/anchovy/curry paste.
Why do you need to use the Paste values? ›
What is Paste Values? Copying and pasting values is probably one of the most common tasks we do in Excel. Paste Values will paste the values ONLY of the copied range WITHOUT formulas and formatting. This allows us to extract the numbers or text from cells.
How does copy paste work? ›
The cut command removes the selected data from its original position, while the copy command creates a duplicate; in both cases the selected data is kept in temporary storage (the clipboard). The data from the clipboard is later inserted wherever a paste command is issued.
Keyboard shortcut to copy and paste in Word
- Select the text you want to copy and press Ctrl+C.
- Place your cursor where you want to paste the copied text and press Ctrl+V.
Video: Cut, copy, and paste
- Cut. Select Cut. or press Ctrl + X.
- Paste. Select Paste. or press Ctrl + V. Note: Paste only uses your most recently copied or cut item.
- Copy. Select Copy. or press Ctrl + C.
Here's how it works:
- Select the cell or range of cells that you want to copy.
- Press Ctrl+C to copy the selection.
- Select the cell where you want to paste the copied cells.
- Press Ctrl+Shift+V to paste the copied cells.
- That's it! The copied cells will be inserted above the cell you selected in Step 3.
between() function in R Language is used to check that whether a numeric value falls in a specific range or not. A lower bound and an upper bound is specified and checked if the value falls in it.
How do I paste two variables in R? ›
To concatenate strings in r programming, use paste() function. The syntax of paste() function that is used to concatenate two or more strings.
What is the c () function in R? ›
c() function in R Language is used to combine the arguments passed to it.
How do I copy and paste output in R? ›
How can I copy the output of the R console into a word document? Select what you want in the console and copy. Then in Word paste using Keep Text Only. (Right click to get the paste options.)
How do I copy and paste a table in R? ›
Overview
- Create a table or data. frame in R.
- Write this table to a comma-separated . txt file using write. table() .
- Copy and paste the content of the . txt file into Word.
- In Word, select the text you just pasted from the . txt file. go to Table → Convert → Convert Text to Table…
R
- Steps to import excel file using Dataset option from the environment window of Rstudio:
- Step 2: Select the option of “From excel” under the import Dataset option. ...
- Step 3: Select the browse option and select the excel file to be imported. ...
- Step 4: Select the import option and the excel file is successfully imported.
cat() function in R Language is used to print out to the screen or to a file. Syntax: cat(…, file = “”, sep = ” “, fill = FALSE, labels = NULL, append = FALSE)
Transpose Data: Copy columns to rows or vice versa. Paste Values: Paste the results or values from a formula instead of copying and pasting the formulas themselves. Paste Formats: Copy formatting from a cell or cell range and paste—or apply it elsewhere.
Can you copy and paste from R to Excel? ›
First, copy it in Excel. Then go into R and use this function. This function specifies that you are reading data from the clipboard, that it is tab delimited, and that it has a header. Similarly, you can copy from R to Excel using the same logic.
How do you paste and copy? ›
To copy and paste, you can use keyboard shortcuts: PC: Ctrl + c for Copy, Ctrl + x for Cut, and Ctrl + v for Paste. Mac: ⌘ + c for Copy, ⌘ + x for Cut, and ⌘ + v for Paste.
Which is faster copy or paste? ›
The only difference between cut+paste and copy+paste is that copy duplicates the file in a new location and stops, cut duplicates the file then deletes the original. … This is much faster than copying the entire file. So moving within the same drive letter, copy+paste takes longer than cut+paste.
What is it called to copy and paste? ›
Copying and Pasting Plagiarism
Anytime you copy and paste verbatim from a source and do not give the source credit it is plagiarism.
How do I paste a column name in R? ›
In order to modify the column names, the paste function in R can be used.
...
Parameter:
- colnames(df) – Column names of data frame.
- suffix – suffix string to be added to each column name.
- sep – separator to use between the strings.
How to concatenate (combine) multiple columns into one field in Excel
- Use the CONCATENATE function in column D: =CONCATENATE(A1,B1,C1).
- In the menu bar, select Insert, Function. ...
- Enter A1 in the text1 field, B1 in the text2 field, and C1 in the text3 field.
- Click OK. ...
- Copy and paste for as many records as needed.
You can easily copy column with mutate in dplyr: df <- df %>% mutate(Copied.Name = Name)
...
Let's say we have a data frame:
- df <-
- data. frame(
- "Name" = c("John", "Dora", "Brenda"),
- "Age" = c(21, 15, 28),
- "Height" = c(182, 169, 165)
- )
R's basic data types are character, numeric, integer, complex, and logical.
What are the 7 types of functions? ›
The different function types covered here are:
- One – one function (Injective function)
- Many – one function.
- Onto – function (Surjective Function)
- Into – function.
- Polynomial function.
- Linear Function.
- Identical Function.
- Quadratic Function.
There are 4 types of functions:
- Functions with arguments and return values. This function has arguments and returns a value: ...
- Functions with arguments and without return values. ...
- Functions without arguments and with return values. ...
- Functions without arguments and without return values.
The eight types are linear, power, quadratic, polynomial, rational, exponential, logarithmic, and sinusoidal.
Is R functional or OOP? ›
R is a functional programming language, and OOP will help manage large system problems. OOP used to manage GUI applications, most likely web-applications. Object-Oriented Programming is good for building tools for data analysis but bad for data analysis itself.
What does list () do in R? ›
The list() function in R is used to create a list of elements of different types. A list can contain numeric, string, or vector elements.
What are the basic R commands? ›
- A short list of the most useful R commands. A summary of the most important commands with minimal examples. ...
- #read files with labels in first row. read.table(filename,header=TRUE) ...
- ls() #list the variables in the workspace. ...
- distributions. beta(a, b) ...
- replace(x, list, values) ...
- max() ...
- median() ...
- lm(Y~X)
paste0() function in R Language is used to concatenate all elements without separator. Syntax: paste0(…, collapse = NULL) Parameters: …: one or more R objects, to be converted to character vectors. collapse: an optional character string to separate the results.
What does the paste 0 mean in R? ›
In R, the paste0() function is used to concatenate vectors after converting to character vectors.
Can you copy and paste data into R? ›
It is also possible to copy and paste data stored in a TXT file into R. The previous output is exactly the same as in Example 1. However, this time we have copied the data from a text file instead of an Excel file.
Can you copy and paste in R? ›
You can copy-paste into the R console, but the Rstudio script editor allows you to 'send' the current line or the currently selected text to the R console using the Ctrl-Enter shortcut.
What does names () do in R? ›
names() function in R Language is used to get or set the name of an Object. This function takes object i.e. vector, matrix or data frame as argument along with the value that is to be assigned as name to the object.
What do \r do? \r is the ASCII Carriage Return (CR) character. There are different newline conventions used by different operating systems.
What does '$' mean in R? ›
Generally speaking, the $ operator is used to extract or subset a specific part of a data object in R. For instance, this can be a data frame object or a list. In this example, I'll explain how to extract the values in a data frame columns using the $ operator.
What does Paste Special Values mean? ›
Paste Special is a feature gives you more control of how the content is displayed or functions when pasted from the clipboard. Paste special is a common feature in productivity software such as Microsoft Office and OpenOffice.
How do I import values into R? ›
The easiest method of creating a data file to import into R is to enter your data into a spreadsheet using either Microsoft Excel or LibreOffice Calc and save the spreadsheet as a tab delimited file.
How do I copy and paste Excel data into R? ›
Copying data from Excel and import into R
- Select and copy the data (Cmd + c)
- Use the function pipe(pbpaste) to import the data you've copied (with Cmd + c):
How to Export a DataFrame to Excel File in R
- Step 1: Install the writexl package. You may type the following command in the R console in order to install the writexl package: install.packages("writexl") ...
- Step 2: Create the DataFrame. ...
- Step 3: Export the DataFrame to Excel in R.
- Install the rcmdr package in Rstudio. Go to "tools" > "Install Packages" > type rcmdr.
- Now go back to Rstudio and type: X<-read.delim("clipboard") X. The copied data in excel will be now imported in Rstudio console.
