R/asFactorSimpleDS.R

In datashield/dsBase: DataSHIELD server site base functions

#'
#' @title Converts a numeric vector into a factor
#' @description This function is an assign DataSHIELD function that coerces
#' a numeric or character vector into a factor 
#' @details The functions converts the input variable into a factor. Unlike 
#' ds.asFactor and its serverside functions, ds.asFactorSimple does no more than
#' coerce the class of a variable to factor in each study. It does not check for 
#' or enforce consistency of factor levels across sources or allow you to
#' force an arbitrary set of levels unless those levels actually exist in the sources.
#' In addition, it does not allow you to create an array of
#' binary dummy variables that is equivalent to a factor. If you need to do any
#' of these things you will have to use the ds.asFactor function.
#' @param input.var.name the name of the variable that is to be converted to a factor.
#' @return an object of class factor
#' @export
#'
asFactorSimpleDS <- function(input.var.name=NULL){

    input.var <- eval(parse(text=input.var.name), envir = parent.frame())

    factor.obj <- factor(input.var)
    

  return(factor.obj)

}

#ASSIGN FUNCTION
# asFactorSimpleDS