Detach Objects from the Search Path

Description

Detach a database, i.e., remove it from the search() path of available R objects. Usually, this is either a data.frame which has been attached or a package which was required previously.

Usage

detach(name, pos = 2, version)

Arguments

Details

This most commonly used with a single number argument referring to a position on the search list, and can also be used with a unquoted or quoted name of an item on the search list such as package:tools.

When a package have been loaded with an explicit version number it can be detached using the name shown by search or by supplying name and version: see the examples.

Value

The attached database is returned invisibly, either as data.frame or as list.

Note

You cannot detach either the workspace (position 1) or the base package (the last item in the search list).

References

Becker, R. A., Chambers, J. M. and Wilks, A. R. (1988) The New S Language. Wadsworth \& Brooks/Cole.

See Also

attach, library, search, objects.

Examples

require(splines)#package
detach(package:splines)
## could equally well use detach("package:splines")
## but NOT  pkg <- "package:splines"; detach(pkg)
## Instead, use
library(splines)
pkg <- "package:splines"
detach(pos = match(pkg, search()))

## careful: do not do this unless 'splines' is not already loaded.
library(splines)
detach(2)# 'pos' used for 'name'

## an example of the name argument to attach
## and of detaching a database named by a character vector
attach_and_detach <- function(db, pos=2)
{
   name <- deparse(substitute(db))
   attach(db, pos=pos, name=name)
   print(search()[pos])
   eval(substitute(detach(n), list(n=name)))
}
attach_and_detach(women, pos=3)

## Not run: ## Using a versioned install
library(ash, version="1.0-9")  # or perhaps just library(ash)
# then one of
detach("package:ash", version="1.0-9")
# or
detach("package:ash_1.0-9")

## End(Not run)