Using list's elements in loops in r (example: setDT) - r

Question

I have multiple data frames and I want to perform the same action in all data frames, such, for example, transform all them into data.tables (this is just an example, I want to apply other functions too).
A simple example can be (df1=df2=df3, without loss of generality here)
df1 <- data.frame(var1 = c(1, 2, 3, 4, 5), var2 =c(1, 2, 2, 1, 2), var3 = c(10, 8, 15, 7, 9))
df2 <- data.frame(var1 = c(1, 2, 3, 4, 5), var2 =c(1, 2, 2, 1, 2), var3 = c(10, 8, 15, 7, 9))
df3 <- data.frame(var1 = c(1, 2, 3, 4, 5), var2 =c(1, 2, 2, 1, 2), var3 = c(10, 8, 15, 7, 9))
My approach was: (i) to create a list of the data frames (list.df), (ii) to create a list of how they should be called afterwards (list.dt) and (iii) to loop into those two lists:
list.df:
list.df<-vector('list',3)
for(j in 1:3){
name <- paste('df',j,sep='')
list.df[j] <- name
}
list.dt
list.dt<-vector('list',3)
for(j in 1:3){
name <- paste('dt',j,sep='')
list.dt[j] <- name
}
Loop (to make all data frames into data tables):
for(i in 1:3){
name<-list.dt[i]
assign(unlist(name), setDT(list.df[i]))
}
I am definitely doing something wrong as the result of this are three data tables with 1 variable, 1 observation (exactly the name list.df[i]).
I've tried to unlist the list.df thinking r would recognize that as an entire data frame and not only as a string:
for(i in 1:3){
name<-list.dt[i]
assign(unlist(name), setDT(unlist(list.df[i])))
}
But I get the error message:
Error in setDT(unlist(list.df[i])) :
Argument 'x' to 'setDT' should be a 'list', 'data.frame' or 'data.table'
Any suggestions?

Answer 1

You can just put all the data into one dataframe. Then, if you want to iterate through dataframes, use dplyr::do or, preferably, other dplyr functions
library(dplyr)
data =
list(df1 = df2, df2 = df2, df3 = df3) %>%
bind_rows(.id = "source") %>%
group_by(source)

Answer 2

Change your last snippet to this:
for(i in 1:3){
name <- list.dt[i]
assign(unlist(name), setDT(get(list.df[[i]])))
}

Answer 3

# Alternative to using lists
list.df <- paste0("df", 1:3)
# For loop that works with the length of the input 'list'/vector
# Creates the 'dt' objects on the fly
for(i in seq_along(list.df)){
assign(paste0("dt", i), setDT(get(list.df[i])))
}

Answer 4

Using data.table (which deserve far more advertising):
a) If you need all your data.frames converted to data.tables, then as was already suggested in the comments by #A5C1D2H2I1M1N2O1R2T1, iterate over your data.frames with setDT
library(data.table)
lapply(mget(paste0("df", 1:3)), setDT)
# or, if you wish to type them one by one:
lapply(list(df1, df2, df3), setDT)
class(df1) # check if coercion took place
# [1] "data.table" "data.frame"
b) If you need to bind your data.frames by rows, then use data.table::rbindlist
data <- rbindlist(mget(paste0("df", 1:3)), idcol = TRUE)
# or, if you wish to type them one by one:
data <- rbindlist(list(df1 = df1, df2 = df2, df3 = df3), idcol = TRUE)
Side note: If you like chaining/piping with the magrittr package (which you see almost always in combination with dplyr syntax), then it goes like:
library(data.table)
library(magrittr)
# for a)
mget(paste0("df", 1:3)) %>% lapply(setDT)
# for b)
data <- mget(paste0("df", 1:3)) %>% rbindlist(idcol = TRUE)