Remove Sequentially Numbered Objects from Workspace

Remove a series of sequentially named objects from the workspace or from another specified environment. For example, conveniently remove a series of sequentially numbered models.

Usage

rm_objects(basename, suffixes, envir = parent.frame())

Arguments

basename: Common base name (quoted or unquoted) of the series of objects.
suffixes: A numeric or character vector representing the suffixes of the series of objects.
envir: An environment from which to remove objects. Use .GlobalEnv for the workspace; default parent.frame() i.e., the environment in which rm_objects() was called.

Value

A character vector of matching names remaining in the calling environment, usually the workspace unless rm_objects() was called within a function, or another specified environment, returned invisibly.

Details

rm_objects() lists all objects in the workspace (or another specified environment) whose names start with basename, then removes any in which basename is followed by an element included in suffixes, and finally lists all remaining objects with names matching basename.

#GF

Examples

 ## Note: running outside example() will be more informative

 ## Create some sequentially numbered objects
 model1 <- model2 <- model3 <- model4 <- lm(1~1)
 ls(pattern = "model")
#> [1] "model1" "model2" "model3" "model4"

 ## Remove three of them
 rm_objects(model, 1:3)
#> Objects matching "model…" found in (unnamed) environment: –
#> 	 model1 model2 model3 model4 
#> Objects matching "model…" remaining in (unnamed) environment: –
#> 	 model4 

 ## Create some sequentially named objects
 model_a <- model_b <- model_c <- model_d <- lm(1~1)
 ls(pattern = "model_")
#> [1] "model_a" "model_b" "model_c" "model_d"

 ## Remove three of them
 rm_objects(model_, letters[1:3])
#> Objects matching "model_…" found in (unnamed) environment: –
#> 	 model_a model_b model_c model_d 
#> Objects matching "model_…" remaining in (unnamed) environment: –
#> 	 model_d 

 ## Use within a function
 (\() {                  ## Anonymous function, but doesn't have to be
   model1 <- model2 <- model3 <- model4 <- model5 <- lm(1~1)
   rm_objects(model, 1:5)
 })()
#> Objects matching "model…" found in (unnamed) environment: –
#> 	 model1 model2 model3 model4 model5 
#> Objects matching "model…" remaining in (unnamed) environment: –
#> 	 All gone! 

 ls(pattern = "model")
#> [1] "model4"  "model_d"

 rm_objects(model, c(4, "_d"))
#> Objects matching "model…" found in (unnamed) environment: –
#> 	 model4 model_d 
#> Objects matching "model…" remaining in (unnamed) environment: –
#> 	 All gone!