R function to generate a vector cross product

xprod.r

# takes either a vector or one-dimensional matrix as inputs a&b

xprod <- function(a,b) {
    if(length(a)==3 && length(b)==3){
        getDet <- function(w,x,y,z) {
            return(det(matrix(c(w,x,y,z),ncol=2)))
        }
        return(c(getDet(a[2],b[2],a[3],b[3]),-getDet(a[1],b[1],a[3],b[3]),getDet(a[1],b[1],a[2],b[2]))) 
    }else{
        return(FALSE)
    }
}

# below implementation will creates a %X% operator for the vector cross product

"%X%" <- function(a,b) {
    if(length(a)==3 && length(b)==3){
        getDet <- function(w,x,y,z) {
            return(det(matrix(c(w,x,y,z),ncol=2)))
        }
        return(c(getDet(a[2],b[2],a[3],b[3]),-getDet(a[1],b[1],a[3],b[3]),getDet(a[1],b[1],a[2],b[2]))) 
    }else{
        return(FALSE)
    }
}

below implementation will allow use of custom operator u %X% v to produce vector cross product

"%X%" <- function(a,b) {
if(length(a)==3 && length(b)==3){
getDet <- function(w,x,y,z) {
return(det(matrix(c(w,x,y,z),ncol=2)))
}
return(c(getDet(a[2],b[2],a[3],b[3]),-getDet(a[1],b[1],a[3],b[3]),getDet(a[1],b[1],a[2],b[2])))
}else{
return(FALSE)
}
}