vrb in `plot_trace` with external vector not working

[martinmacias]

Hello,

When using the plot_trace function, one cannot use a vector even though it has a string. The documentation mentions one can use a vector, however.

Here is my code:

var<-"measure1"
plot_trace(data = imp, vrb = var)

This yields an error:

Error in dplyr::select():
! Can't subset columns that don't exist.
✖ Column var doesn't exist.

When checking the plot_trace function itself, I noticed it uses substitute inside. I think that is the problem, although not entirely sure. It is probably my lack of familiarity with the substitute function.

Any help would be appreciated!

[Hanne Oberman]

Hi @martinmacias, thanks for pointing this out! I have reproduced the error, but didn't find a solution so far. So I provided some alternatives for now, see below.

@pepijnvink could you please take a look at the issue?

library(mice)
library(ggmice)
imp <- mice(nhanes, print = FALSE)
# reproduce the error
x <- "bmi"
plot_trace(imp, x)
#> Error in `dplyr::select()` at ggmice package/R/plot_trace.R:29:4:
#> ! Can't subset columns that don't exist.
#> ✖ Column `x` doesn't exist.
#> Backtrace:
#>      ▆
#>   1. ├─ggmice::plot_trace(imp, x)
#>   2. │ ├─dplyr::select(...) at ggmice package/R/plot_trace.R:29:4
#>   3. │ └─dplyr:::select.data.frame(...)
#>   4. │   └─tidyselect::eval_select(expr(c(...)), data = .data, error_call = error_call)
#>   5. │     └─tidyselect:::eval_select_impl(...)
#>   6. │       ├─tidyselect:::with_subscript_errors(...)
#>   7. │       │ └─rlang::try_fetch(...)
#>   8. │       │   └─base::withCallingHandlers(...)
#>   9. │       └─tidyselect:::vars_select_eval(...)
#>  10. │         └─tidyselect:::walk_data_tree(expr, data_mask, context_mask)
#>  11. │           └─tidyselect:::eval_c(expr, data_mask, context_mask)
#>  12. │             └─tidyselect:::reduce_sels(node, data_mask, context_mask, init = init)
#>  13. │               └─tidyselect:::walk_data_tree(new, data_mask, context_mask)
#>  14. │                 └─tidyselect:::as_indices_sel_impl(...)
#>  15. │                   └─tidyselect:::as_indices_impl(...)
#>  16. │                     └─tidyselect:::chr_as_locations(x, vars, call = call, arg = arg)
#>  17. │                       └─vctrs::vec_as_location(...)
#>  18. └─vctrs (local) `<fn>`()
#>  19.   └─vctrs:::stop_subscript_oob(...)
#>  20.     └─vctrs:::stop_subscript(...)
#>  21.       └─rlang::abort(...)

# some failed potential solutions
plot_trace(imp, eval(rlang::expr(x)))
#> Error in `dplyr::select()` at ggmice package/R/plot_trace.R:29:4:
#> ! Problem while evaluating `eval(rlang::expr(x))`.
#> Caused by error:
#> ! could not find function "eval"
#> Backtrace:
#>      ▆
#>   1. ├─ggmice::plot_trace(imp, eval(rlang::expr(x)))
#>   2. │ ├─dplyr::select(...) at ggmice package/R/plot_trace.R:29:4
#>   3. │ └─dplyr:::select.data.frame(...)
#>   4. │   └─tidyselect::eval_select(expr(c(...)), data = .data, error_call = error_call)
#>   5. │     └─tidyselect:::eval_select_impl(...)
#>   6. │       ├─tidyselect:::with_subscript_errors(...)
#>   7. │       │ └─rlang::try_fetch(...)
#>   8. │       │   └─base::withCallingHandlers(...)
#>   9. │       └─tidyselect:::vars_select_eval(...)
#>  10. │         └─tidyselect:::walk_data_tree(expr, data_mask, context_mask)
#>  11. │           └─tidyselect:::eval_c(expr, data_mask, context_mask)
#>  12. │             └─tidyselect:::reduce_sels(node, data_mask, context_mask, init = init)
#>  13. │               └─tidyselect:::walk_data_tree(new, data_mask, context_mask)
#>  14. │                 └─tidyselect:::eval_context(expr, context_mask, call = error_call)
#>  15. │                   ├─tidyselect:::with_chained_errors(...)
#>  16. │                   │ └─rlang::try_fetch(...)
#>  17. │                   │   ├─base::tryCatch(...)
#>  18. │                   │   │ └─base (local) tryCatchList(expr, classes, parentenv, handlers)
#>  19. │                   │   │   └─base (local) tryCatchOne(expr, names, parentenv, handlers[[1L]])
#>  20. │                   │   │     └─base (local) doTryCatch(return(expr), name, parentenv, handler)
#>  21. │                   │   └─base::withCallingHandlers(...)
#>  22. │                   └─rlang::eval_tidy(as_quosure(expr, env), context_mask)
#>  23. └─base::.handleSimpleError(...)
#>  24.   └─rlang (local) h(simpleError(msg, call))
#>  25.     └─handlers[[1L]](cnd)
#>  26.       └─rlang::abort(msg, call = call, parent = cnd)
plot_trace(imp, !!x)
#> Error: object 'x' not found

# some alternatives that do work
plot_trace(imp, bmi)

plot_trace(imp, "bmi")

plot_trace(imp, c("bmi"))

^{Created on 2024-02-20 with reprex v2.0.2}