Why do I get the error message "Error: unexpected '=' in:" when using the fct_collpase function?

Question

Data frame = qog_std3

factor = btid

I am trying to collapse this ordinal level factor using following code:

I get the following error message:

Error: unexpected '=' in:
"btid4 <- fct_collapse(qog_std3$btid,
  1=" 

Can anyone explain to me why the use of "=" provides this error and what I can do about it?

Any alternative solution would also be deeply appreciated.

Answer 1

If the column is factor or character, we need to quote the name especically when it is numeric. It is not an issue when it is non-numeric

fct_collapse(df1$btid, "1" = c("1", "2"))
#[1] 1 1 3 3 4 5 1 1
#Levels: 1 3 4 5

It can be also backquotes

fct_collapse(df1$btid, `1` = c("1", "2"))
#[1] 1 1 3 3 4 5 1 1
#Levels: 1 3 4 5

whereas if we specify the unquoted numeric value

 fct_collapse(df1$btid, 1 = c("1", "2"))

Error: unexpected '=' in " fct_collapse(df1$btid, 1 ="

However, this is not an issue when it is character

fct_collapse(df1$id2, AB = c("A", "B"))
#[1] AB AB C  D  AB AB C  AB
#Levels: AB C D

data

df1 <- structure(list(btid = c("1", "1", "3", "3", "4", "5", "1", "2"
), id2 = c("A", "B", "C", "D", "A", "B", "C", "A")), row.names = c(NA, 
 -8L), class = "data.frame")