Save STR Output as String in R

To save the str output as a string in R, we can use capture.output function along with str function.

For example, if we have a data frame called df and we want to store the str output of df as a string then we can use the command given below −

capture.output(str(df))

It would be better if we save it in an object as str_df<- capture.output(str(df)) so that it can be recalled in the future in current session.

Example 1

To save the str output as a string in R, use the code given below −

head(mtcars,20)

If you execute the above given code, it generates the following output −

                    mpg  cyl disp   hp drat   wt  qsec  vs am gear carb
Mazda RX4           21.0 6   160.0 110 3.90 2.620 16.46 0  1  4    4
Mazda RX4 Wag       21.0 6   160.0 110 3.90 2.875 17.02 0  1  4    4
Datsun 710          22.8 4   108.0  93 3.85 2.320 18.61 1  1  4    1
Hornet 4 Drive      21.4 6   258.0 110 3.08 3.215 19.44 1  0  3    1
Hornet Sportabout   18.7 8   360.0 175 3.15 3.440 17.02 0  0  3    2
Valiant             18.1 6   225.0 105 2.76 3.460 20.22 1  0  3    1
Duster 360          14.3 8   360.0 245 3.21 3.570 15.84 0  0  3    4
Merc 240D           24.4 4   146.7  62 3.69 3.190 20.00 1  0  4    2
Merc 230            22.8 4   140.8  95 3.92 3.150 22.90 1  0  4    2
Merc 280            19.2 6   167.6 123 3.92 3.440 18.30 1  0  4    4
Merc 280C           17.8 6   167.6 123 3.92 3.440 18.90 1  0  4    4
Merc 450SE          16.4 8   275.8 180 3.07 4.070 17.40 0  0  3    3
Merc 450SL          17.3 8   275.8 180 3.07 3.730 17.60 0  0  3    3
Merc 450SLC         15.2 8   275.8 180 3.07 3.780 18.00 0  0  3    3
Cadillac Fleetwood  10.4 8   472.0 205 2.93 5.250 17.98 0  0  3    4
Lincoln Continental 10.4 8   460.0 215 3.00 5.424 17.82 0  0  3    4
Chrysler Imperial   14.7 8   440.0 230 3.23 5.345 17.42 0  0  3    4
Fiat 128            32.4 4   78.7   66 4.08 2.200 19.47 1  1  4    1
Honda Civic         30.4 4   75.7   52 4.93 1.615 18.52 1  1  4    2
Toyota Corolla      33.9 4   71.1   65 4.22 1.835 19.90 1  1  4    1

To save the str output as a string in R, add the following code to the above code −

str_string_mtcars<-capture.output(str(mtcars))
str_string_mtcars

Output

If you execute all the above given snippets as a single program, it generates the following output −

[1] "'data.frame':\t32 obs. of 11 variables:"
[2] " $ mpg : num 21 21 22.8 21.4 18.7 18.1 14.3 24.4 22.8 19.2 ..."
[3] " $ cyl : num 6 6 4 6 8 6 8 4 4 6 ..."
[4] " $ disp: num 160 160 108 258 360 ..."
[5] " $ hp : num 110 110 93 110 175 105 245 62 95 123 ..."
[6] " $ drat: num 3.9 3.9 3.85 3.08 3.15 2.76 3.21 3.69 3.92 3.92 ..."
[7] " $ wt : num 2.62 2.88 2.32 3.21 3.44 ..."
[8] " $ qsec: num 16.5 17 18.6 19.4 17 ..."
[9] " $ vs : num 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 ..."
[10] " $ am : num 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ..."
[11] " $ gear: num 4 4 4 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 ..."
[12] " $ carb: num 4 4 1 1 2 1 4 2 2 4 ..."

Example 2

To save the str output as a string in R, use the code given below −

head(CO2,20)

If you execute the above given code, it generates the following output −

  Grouped Data: uptake ~ conc | Plant
   Plant Type   Treatment   conc uptake
1  Qn1  Quebec  nonchilled   95  16.0
2  Qn1  Quebec  nonchilled  175  30.4
3  Qn1  Quebec  nonchilled  250  34.8
4  Qn1  Quebec  nonchilled  350  37.2
5  Qn1  Quebec  nonchilled  500  35.3
6  Qn1  Quebec  nonchilled  675  39.2
7  Qn1  Quebec  nonchilled 1000  39.7
8  Qn2  Quebec  nonchilled   95  13.6
9  Qn2  Quebec  nonchilled  175  27.3
10 Qn2  Quebec  nonchilled  250  37.1
11 Qn2  Quebec  nonchilled  350  41.8
12 Qn2  Quebec  nonchilled  500  40.6
13 Qn2  Quebec  nonchilled  675  41.4
14 Qn2  Quebec  nonchilled 1000  44.3
15 Qn3  Quebec  nonchilled   95  16.2
16 Qn3  Quebec  nonchilled  175  32.4
17 Qn3  Quebec  nonchilled  250  40.3
18 Qn3  Quebec  nonchilled  350  42.1
19 Qn3  Quebec  nonchilled  500  42.9
20 Qn3  Quebec  nonchilled  675  43.9

To save the str output as a string in R, add the following code to the above code −

str_string_CO2<-capture.output(str(CO2))
str_string_CO2

Output

If you execute all the above given snippets as a single program, it generates the following output −

[1] "Classes ‘nfnGroupedData’, ‘nfGroupedData’, ‘groupedData’ and 'data.frame':\t84 obs. of 5 variables:"
[2] " $ Plant : Ord.factor w/ 12 levels \"Qn1\"<\"Qn2\"<\"Qn3\"<..: 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 ..."
[3] " $ Type : Factor w/ 2 levels \"Quebec\",\"Mississippi\": 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ..."
[4] " $ Treatment: Factor w/ 2 levels \"nonchilled\",\"chilled\": 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ..."
[5] " $ conc : num 95 175 250 350 500 675 1000 95 175 250 ..."
[6] " $ uptake : num 16 30.4 34.8 37.2 35.3 39.2 39.7 13.6 27.3 37.1 ..."
[7] " - attr(*, \"formula\")=Class 'formula' language uptake ~ conc | Plant"
[8] " .. ..- attr(*, \".Environment\")=<environment: R_EmptyEnv> "
[9] " - attr(*, \"outer\")=Class 'formula' language ~Treatment * Type"
[10] " .. ..- attr(*, \".Environment\")=<environment: R_EmptyEnv> "
[11] " - attr(*, \"labels\")=List of 2"
[12] " ..$ x: chr \"Ambient carbon dioxide concentration\""
[13] " ..$ y: chr \"CO2 uptake rate\""
[14] " - attr(*, \"units\")=List of 2"
[15] " ..$ x: chr \"(uL/L)\""
[16] " ..$ y: chr \"(umol/m^2 s)\""

Example 3

To save the str output as a string in R, use the code given below −

head(women,20)

If you execute the above given code, it generates the following output −

 height weight
1  58   115
2  59   117
3  60   120
4  61   123
5  62   126
6  63   129
7  64   132
8  65   135
9  66   139
10 67   142
11 68   146
12 69   150
13 70   154
14 71   159
15 72   164

To save the str output as a string in R, add the following code to the above code −

str_string_women<-capture.output(str(women))
str_string_women

Output

If you execute all the above given snippets as a single program, it generates the following output −

[1] "'data.frame':\t15 obs. of 2 variables:"
[2] " $ height: num 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 ..."
[3] " $ weight: num 115 117 120 123 126 129 132 135 139 142 ..."