R Markdown List of Kabels output to PDF - r

Question

I have a 500 x 500 dataset which I would like to be represented in kables in my PDF output. I've arbitrarily chosen 50 x 50 Kables for the output.
Each kabel cell will have an image in it^. Some of these examples will work with pure text so including the image is required in the minimum code.
In the code below, there is the setup and the 3 approaches I've taken:
the 500x500 approach which is obviously too big,
the list method which I can't get to actually render the tables,
the separate, dynamically named, objects^ approach which will render a table if called by exact name but can't get to render from a dynamic name.
The generation of the kables are in different code chunks to the output for ease of positioning in the PDF.
I have tried all these with results = 'asis' and it made no difference.
---
title: "Minimum Example"
date: "2022-11-19"
output: pdf_document
---
\section*{A Bit of Setup}
\renewcommand{\arraystretch}{1.7}
```{r setup}
library(kableExtra)
library(dplyr)
library(tidyr)
library(stringr)
library(png)
library(knitr)
# Image is displayed in each cell of the Kable, creating an example image
png(file="./ExampleImage.png")
par(bg='grey')
bob <- plot.new()
dev.off()
# Define size of data which needs to be represented in a kable.
totalSize_x <- 500
totalSize_y <- 500
```
\section*{Approach 1: Way too big to be displayed}
```{r Approach 1: The Big Boy}
TheBigBoi <- matrix('\\includegraphics[scale=1]{./ExampleImage.png}',totalSize_x, totalSize_y)
kable(TheBigBoi,
format = "latex",
escape = FALSE,
longtable = FALSE) |>
column_spec(1,border_left = T) |>
column_spec(totalSize_y,border_right = T) |>
kable_styling(latex_options=c("scale_down"))
# Gives the Errors
# Error: C stack usage 12426279 is too close to the limit
# Execution halted
```
\section*{Approach 2: A Nice List}
```{r Approach 2: A Nice List}
# Personally, I want this one to work as it's the least stupid solution.
maxKableCells <- 50 # As in that looks good for the images, I understand Kables can be bigger if they want to
TheLittleOne <- matrix('\\includegraphics[scale=1]{./ExampleImage.png}', maxKableCells, maxKableCells)
num_iterations <- (totalSize_x/maxKableCells) * (totalSize_y/maxKableCells)
myList <- vector(mode = "list", length = num_iterations)
for (i in 1:(num_iterations)){
myList[i] <- kable(TheLittleOne,
format = "latex",
escape = FALSE,
longtable = FALSE) |>
column_spec(1,border_left = T) |>
column_spec(maxKableCells,border_right = T) |>
kable_styling(latex_options=c("scale_down"))
}
```
Gonna put some text here
```{r Approach 2 Output}
myList[1] # - ! Undefined control sequence.
#l.177 ``\textbackslash begin\{table\}\n
# \textbackslash centering\n\textbacksl...
```
```{r Approach 2 Output Continued}
noquote(myList[1]) # - just prints out the latex code with extra slashes
```
\section*{Approach 3: Objectively the worst way to acheive this}
```{r Approach 3: Individual Kable Objects AKA Foolishness}
# The most stupid solution but the closest to working
maxKableCells <- 50 # As in that looks good for the images, I understand Kables can be bigger if they want to
TheLittleOne <- matrix('\\includegraphics[scale=1]{./ExampleImage.png}', maxKableCells, maxKableCells)
num_iterations <- (totalSize_x/maxKableCells) * (totalSize_y/maxKableCells)
for (i in 1:(num_iterations)){
assign(paste0('kable_', i), kable(TheLittleOne,
format = "latex",
escape = FALSE,
longtable = FALSE) |>
column_spec(1,border_left = T) |>
column_spec(maxKableCells,border_right = T) |>
kable_styling(latex_options=c("scale_down")))
}
```
Some filler text
```{r Approach 3 Output}
kable_1 # - This one works!
for (i in 1:num_iterations){
paste0('kabel_', i) #Returns nothing
print(paste0('kabel_', i)) # Prints like "kabel_1"
print(noquote(paste0('kabel_', i))) #Prints like kabel_1
noquote(paste0('kabel_', i)) # Returns nothing
}
```
^ I am aware this is a stupid thing to do, this whole thing is stupid but sometimes the tools we use are not our own choice.