[datatable-help] A new package multitable (data.list) remind me of a long existing feature request #202 and discussion thread

[Branson Owen]

Dear all,

I just saw a new package '*multitable*' (*data.list*) published today. Here
is the selected description:

"Many data sets do not easily fit into a single data frame, such as
inherently multiple-table data (e.g. fourth-corner problem and other
trait-based data sets). Storing such data in a single data frame results in
either large numbers of meaningless missing values or storage of redundant
information. The multitable package *introduces new data storage objects
called data.lists, which are extensions of data.frames*. As data.lists can
be coerced to data.frames, they can be used with all R functions that accept
an object that is coercible to a data.frame (e.g. lm; plot; lme; and many
more). The multitable package also provides several mechanisms for
simplifying the manipulation of data.list objects."

[data.list] http://cran.r-project.org/web/packages/multitable/index.html

[Feature Request #202]
https://r-forge.r-project.org/tracker/index.php?func=detail&aid=202&group_id=240&atid=978

[Discussion]
http://r.789695.n4.nabble.com/Suggest-a-cool-feature-Use-data-table-like-a-sorted-indexed-data-list-td2544213.html

[Idea] I am very excited when I see this package, and can't help imagining
the possibility of data.table and data.list mutually leveraging each other,
i.e. data.list can leverage data.table's beautiful syntax and extremely high
performance; while data.table can leverage data.list's flexible object model
(the long existing feature request #202).

To data.table core team, will multitable (data.list) package make it easy to
implement feature #202?

I don't know whether the multitable's author is aware of data.table. I will
write to make suggestions to the multitable author: at least, I think it
should be an easy change for him to make data.list an extension of
data.table instead of data.frame, and will make multitable package directly
inherit data.table's power. Any thoughts before I approach Steve? or it
would be better to let data.table team raise this idea to him? :)

Best regards,
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