r - How to insert elements into a vector?

Question

I have a logical vector, for which I wish to insert new elements at particular indexes. I've come up with a clumsy solution below, but is there a neater way?

probes <- rep(TRUE, 15)
ind <- c(5, 10)
probes.2 <- logical(length(probes)+length(ind))
probes.ind <- ind + 1:length(ind)
probes.original <- (1:length(probes.2))[-probes.ind]
probes.2[probes.ind] <- FALSE
probes.2[probes.original] <- probes

print(probes)

gives

[1] TRUE TRUE TRUE TRUE TRUE TRUE TRUE TRUE TRUE TRUE TRUE TRUE TRUE TRUE TRUE

and

print(probes.2)

gives

[1]  TRUE  TRUE  TRUE  TRUE  TRUE FALSE  TRUE  TRUE  TRUE  TRUE  TRUE FALSE
[13]  TRUE  TRUE  TRUE  TRUE  TRUE

So it works but is ugly looking - any suggestions?

Answer 1

These are all very creative approaches. I think working with indexes is definitely the way to go (Marek's solution is very nice).

I would just mention that there is a function to do roughly that: append().

probes <- rep(TRUE, 15)
probes <- append(probes, FALSE, after=5)
probes <- append(probes, FALSE, after=11)

Or you could do this recursively with your indexes (you need to grow the "after" value on each iteration):

probes <- rep(TRUE, 15)
ind <- c(5, 10)
for(i in 0:(length(ind)-1)) 
    probes <- append(probes, FALSE, after=(ind[i+1]+i))

Incidentally, this question was also previously asked on R-Help. As Barry says:

"Actually I'd say there were no ways of doing this, since I dont think you can actually insert into a vector - you have to create a new vector that produces the illusion of insertion!"