column naming loop

col_name.r

# Problem: 
# - row 2 of data file has non-data title that repeats every two columns
# - column 1 / row 1 header label is fine
# - the header in every even-numbered column applies to the next odd-humbered column (eg 2 applies to 3, 4 to 5, etc)
# - the header in those odd-numbered columns (3, 5, 7, etc) is read initially as an NA
# Solution
# - read column names only
# - hard code even and odd suffix
# - copy header value in those even columns to odd columns

# read the first row for the column names
col_names <- names(read_csv("datafile.csv", n_max = 0))
# set the sub-names
sub_names <- c("EVEN", "ODD")
# create a vector for the new names, assign first value
col_name_num <- vector(mode = "character")
col_name_num[1] <- col_names[1]

# the loop
# -- note that in the 2nd line the first part of the column names is repeated

i <- 2
while (i < 26) {
  col_name_num[i] <- paste(col_names[i], ": ", sub_names[1], sep = "")
  col_name_num[i+1] <- paste(col_names[i], ": ", sub_names[2], sep = "")
  i <- i + 2
}

# read the rest of the data file data, and apply the new and improved column names
datatable <- read_csv("datafile.csv", col_names = col_name_num, skip = 3)