R: Creates a Join data table

J {data.table} | R Documentation

## Creates a Join data table

### Description

Creates a `data.table` to be passed in as the `i` to a `[.data.table` join.

### Usage

    # DT[J(...)]                           # J() only for use inside DT[...].
    SJ(...)                                # DT[SJ(...)]
    CJ(..., sorted = TRUE, unique = FALSE)  # DT[CJ(...)]

### Arguments

`...` | Each argument is a vector. Generally each vector is the same length but if they are not then the usual silent repetition is applied.
`sorted` | logical. Should the input be sorted (ascending order)? If `FALSE`, the input order is retained.
`unique` | logical. When `TRUE`, only unique values of each vectors are used (automatically).

### Details

`SJ` and `CJ` are convenience functions for creating a data.table in the context of a data.table 'query' on `x`.

`x[data.table(id)]` is the same as `x[J(id)]` but the latter is more readable. Identical alternatives are `x[list(id)]` and `x[.(id)]`.

`x` must have a key when passing in a join table as the `i`. See `[.data.table`

### Value

`J` : the same result as calling list. `J` is a direct alias for list but results in clearer more readable code.

`SJ` : (S)orted (J)oin. The same value as `J()` but additionally `setkey()` is called on all the columns in the order they were passed in to `SJ`. For efficiency, to invoke a binary merge rather than a repeated binary full search for each row of `i`.

`CJ` : (C)ross (J)oin. A `data.table` is formed from the cross product of the vectors. For example, 10 ids, and 100 dates, `CJ` returns a 1000 row table containing all the dates for all the ids. It gains `sorted`, which by default is `TRUE` for backwards compatibility. `FALSE` retains input order.

### See Also

`data.table`, `test.data.table`

### Examples

    DT = data.table(A=5:1,B=letters[5:1])
    setkey(DT,B)    # re-orders table and marks it sorted.
    DT[J("b")]      # returns the 2nd row
    DT[.("b")]      # same. Style of package plyr.
    DT[list("b")]   # same

    # CJ usage examples
    CJ(c(5,NA,1), c(1,3,2)) # sorted and keyed data.table
    do.call(CJ, list(c(5,NA,1), c(1,3,2))) # same as above
    CJ(c(5,NA,1), c(1,3,2), sorted=FALSE) # same order as input, unkeyed
    # use for 'unique=' argument
    x = c(1,1,2)
    y = c(4,6,4)
    CJ(x, y) # output columns are automatically named 'x' and 'y'
    CJ(x, y, unique=TRUE) # unique(x) and unique(y) are computed automatically

[Package data.table version 1.11.8 Index]