create_breaks: Create breaks based on numeric input

In al-obrien/farrago: A random collection of helpful code baubles

Create breaks based on numeric input

Description

Break continuous values into bins and apply clean labeling. Wraps around findInterval and factor functions.

Usage

create_breaks(
  x,
  breaks,
  format = FALSE,
  precision,
  divider = "-",
  left.open = FALSE,
  rightmost.closed = FALSE,
  format_notation = "precision",
  ...
)

Arguments

x	Numeric vector to create break groupings from.
breaks	Numeric vector of breakpoints supplied to findInterval.
format	Provide your own labels; if set to TRUE the clean labeling will be set automatically.
precision	Numeric value, determines how to adjust boundary of labels. Default will determine from provided breaks (e.g. 1 decimal place means precision of 0.1).
divider	Character defining the symbol separating adjacent label values (default is a dash).
rightmost.closed	Logical; passed to findInterval.
format_notation	Character vector to determine label style; valid inputs include 'precision', 'brackets', or 'signs' (only the first uses the precision parameter).
...	Additional parameters supplied to findInterval

Details

For edge cases, ensure that labeling is suitable. For example, if you do not want the upper boundaries included then adjustments must be made to the values sent to findInterval via .... When providing custom labels to the format parameter ensure you have compensated for a label that may sit outside the typical boundary of your provided breaks (e.g. <0 if you lowest break is 0 but your data can take on negative values). If this function is not providing what you require, try looking at cut. If you need the ability to automatically cut groups into defined sizes look at the {classInt} or provide cut a single value for the number of equal breaks to create. create_breaks also has a formatting option to use bracket notation for the middle bounds, this may be preferred if the default automatic formatting with assigned precision is not to one's liking.

Adjusting the precision affects the rounding precision of the labels. By default it will use the smallest decimal place in the parameter brks. Depending on use-case, it may be important to ensure your binning is occurring as expected (e.g. that partial ages like 5.4 yo bins in 4-5 or 5-6). Rounding prior to using this function may help avoid such issues.

Value

Vector with assignment for each grouping (numeric if no format provided, factor when format provided)

Examples

# Data setup
data = c(-1,0,10,5,999,9)
breaks = c(0, 1, 10,50,100)
labels = c('<0', '0-1', '1-10', '10-50', '50-100', '100+')

#If many break labels, try using rep() or seq(), and paste them in interation
labels2 = purrr::map2_chr(seq(10, 99, 10),  seq(20, 100, 10)-1, ~paste0(.x, '-', .y))

# Create break without any formatting
breaks_numeric <- create_breaks(data, breaks)

# Create break with default label formatting
breaks_auto <- create_breaks(data, breaks, format = TRUE)

# Create break with custom label formatting
breaks_custom <- create_breaks(data, breaks, format = labels)

# Create breaks without any precision (will see start/end of categories as same number)
create_breaks(data, breaks, format = labels, precision = 0)

# Cut function as alternative
cut(data, breaks)

# Cut function fills NA if you dont define -Inf and +Inf in the breaks
# ... also has less auto-formatting abilities (index only, bracket notation or custom)
cut(data, c(-Inf, 0, 1, 10,50,100, Inf))
cut(data, c(-Inf, 0, 1, 10,50,100, Inf), labels = FALSE) # Only index the group, not auto-label

# Compare various outputs
x <- c(0.4, 0.6, 1:10)
v <- c(0.5, 5, 7, 9)
cbind(x,
TF=as.character(create_breaks(x, v, left.open =T, rightmost.closed = F, format = T,precision = 0)),
FF=as.character(create_breaks(x, v, left.open =F, rightmost.closed = F, format = T,precision = 0)),
TT=as.character(create_breaks(x, v, left.open =T, rightmost.closed = T, format = T,precision = 0)),
FT=as.character(create_breaks(x, v, left.open =F, rightmost.closed = T, format = T,precision = 0)),
TF2=as.character(create_breaks(x, v, left.open =T, rightmost.closed = F, format = T, format_notation = 'brackets')),
FF2=as.character(create_breaks(x, v, left.open =F, rightmost.closed = F, format = T, format_notation = 'brackets')),
TT2=as.character(create_breaks(x, v, left.open =T, rightmost.closed = T, format = T, format_notation = 'brackets')),
FT2=as.character(create_breaks(x, v, left.open =F, rightmost.closed = T, format = T, format_notation = 'brackets')))

al-obrien/farrago documentation built on April 14, 2023, 6:20 p.m.