case_when {dplyr} | R Documentation

## A general vectorised if

### Description

This function allows you to vectorise multiple `if` and `else if` statements. It is an R equivalent of the SQL `CASE WHEN` statement.

### Usage

    case_when(...)

### Arguments

`...` | A sequence of two-sided formulas. The left hand side (LHS) determines which values match this case. The right hand side (RHS) provides the replacement value. The LHS must evaluate to a logical vector. Each logical vector can either have length 1 or a common length. All RHSs must evaluate to the same type of vector. These dots are evaluated with explicit splicing.

### Value

A vector as long as the longest LHS, with the type (and attributes) of the first RHS. Inconsistent lengths or types will generate an error.

### Examples

    x <- 1:50
    case_when(
      x %% 35 == 0 ~ "fizz buzz",
      x %% 5 == 0 ~ "fizz",
      x %% 7 == 0 ~ "buzz",
      TRUE ~ as.character(x)
    )

    # Like an if statement, the arguments are evaluated in order, so you must
    # proceed from the most specific to the most general. This won't work:
    case_when(
      TRUE ~ as.character(x),
      x %%  5 == 0 ~ "fizz",
      x %%  7 == 0 ~ "buzz",
      x %% 35 == 0 ~ "fizz buzz"
    )

    # case_when is particularly useful inside mutate when you want to
    # create a new variable that relies on a complex combination of existing
    # variables
    starwars %>%
      select(name:mass, gender, species) %>%
      mutate(
        type = case_when(
          height > 200 | mass > 200 ~ "large",
          species == "Droid"        ~ "robot",
          TRUE                      ~  "other"
        )
      )

    # Dots support splicing:
    patterns <- list(
      TRUE ~ as.character(x),
      x %%  5 == 0 ~ "fizz",
      x %%  7 == 0 ~ "buzz",
      x %% 35 == 0 ~ "fizz buzz"
    )
    case_when(!!! patterns)

[Package dplyr version 0.7.0 Index]