Fast melt for data.table

An S3 method for melting data.tables written in C for speed and memory efficiency. Since v1.9.6, melt.data.table allows melting into multiple columns simultaneously.

## fast melt a data.table
# S3 method for data.table
melt(data, id.vars, measure.vars,
    variable.name = "variable", value.name = "value",
    ..., na.rm = FALSE, variable.factor = TRUE,
    value.factor = FALSE,
    verbose = getOption("datatable.verbose"))

Arguments

data	A data.table object to melt.
id.vars	vector of id variables. Can be integer (corresponding id column numbers) or character (id column names) vector. If missing, all non-measure columns will be assigned to it. If integer, must be positive; see Details.
measure.vars	Measure variables for melting. Can be missing, vector, list, or pattern-based. When missing, measure.vars will become all columns outside id.vars. Vector can be integer (implying column numbers) or character (column names). list is a generalization of the vector version -- each element of the list (which should be integer or character as above) will become a melted column. Pattern-based column matching can be achieved with the regular expression-based patterns syntax; multiple patterns will produce multiple columns. For convenience/clarity in the case of multiple melted columns, resulting column names can be supplied as names to the elements measure.vars (in the list and patterns usages). See also Examples.
variable.name	name for the measured variable names column. The default name is 'variable'.
value.name	name for the molten data values column(s). The default name is 'value'. Multiple names can be provided here for the case when measure.vars is a list, though note well that the names provided in measure.vars take precedence.
na.rm	If TRUE, NA values will be removed from the molten data.
variable.factor	If TRUE, the variable column will be converted to factor, else it will be a character column.
value.factor	If TRUE, the value column will be converted to factor, else the molten value type is left unchanged.
verbose	TRUE turns on status and information messages to the console. Turn this on by default using options(datatable.verbose=TRUE). The quantity and types of verbosity may be expanded in future.
...	any other arguments to be passed to/from other methods.

Details

If id.vars and measure.vars are both missing, all non-numeric/integer/logical columns are assigned as id variables and the rest as measure variables. If only one of id.vars or measure.vars is supplied, the rest of the columns will be assigned to the other. Both id.vars and measure.vars can have the same column more than once and the same column can be both as id and measure variables.

melt.data.table also accepts list columns for both id and measure variables.

When all measure.vars are not of the same type, they'll be coerced according to the hierarchy list > character > numeric > integer > logical. For example, if any of the measure variables is a list, then entire value column will be coerced to a list. Note that, if the type of value column is a list, na.rm = TRUE will have no effect.

From version 1.9.6, melt gains a feature with measure.vars accepting a list of character or integer vectors as well to melt into multiple columns in a single function call efficiently. The function patterns can be used to provide regular expression patterns. When used along with melt, if cols argument is not provided, the patterns will be matched against names(data), for convenience.

Attributes are preserved if all value columns are of the same type. By default, if any of the columns to be melted are of type factor, it'll be coerced to character type. To get a factor column, set value.factor = TRUE. melt.data.table also preserves ordered factors.

Historical note: melt.data.table was originally designed as an enhancement to reshape2::melt in terms of computing and memory efficiency. reshape2 has since been deprecated, and melt has had a generic defined within data.table since v1.9.6 in 2015, at which point the dependency between the packages became more etymological than programmatic. We thank the reshape2 authors for the inspiration.

Value

An unkeyed data.table containing the molten data.

See also

dcast, https://cran.r-project.org/package=reshape

Examples

set.seed(45)
require(data.table)
DT <- data.table(
      i_1 = c(1:5, NA),
      i_2 = c(NA,6,7,8,9,10),
      f_1 = factor(sample(c(letters[1:3], NA), 6, TRUE)),
      f_2 = factor(c("z", "a", "x", "c", "x", "x"), ordered=TRUE),
      c_1 = sample(c(letters[1:3], NA), 6, TRUE),
      d_1 = as.Date(c(1:3,NA,4:5), origin="2013-09-01"),
      d_2 = as.Date(6:1, origin="2012-01-01"))
# add a couple of list cols
DT[, l_1 := DT[, list(c=list(rep(i_1, sample(5,1)))), by = i_1]$c]
#>      i_1   i_2    f_1   f_2    c_1        d_1        d_2            l_1
#>    <int> <num> <fctr> <ord> <char>     <Date>     <Date>         <list>
#> 1:     1    NA      a     z      c 2013-09-02 2012-01-07      1,1,1,1,1
#> 2:     2     6      c     a      c 2013-09-03 2012-01-06        2,2,2,2
#> 3:     3     7      b     x   <NA> 2013-09-04 2012-01-05        3,3,3,3
#> 4:     4     8   <NA>     c      c       <NA> 2012-01-04        4,4,4,4
#> 5:     5     9      c     x   <NA> 2013-09-05 2012-01-03              5
#> 6:    NA    10      b     x      c 2013-09-06 2012-01-02 NA,NA,NA,NA,NA
DT[, l_2 := DT[, list(c=list(rep(c_1, sample(5,1)))), by = i_1]$c]
#>      i_1   i_2    f_1   f_2    c_1        d_1        d_2            l_1
#>    <int> <num> <fctr> <ord> <char>     <Date>     <Date>         <list>
#> 1:     1    NA      a     z      c 2013-09-02 2012-01-07      1,1,1,1,1
#> 2:     2     6      c     a      c 2013-09-03 2012-01-06        2,2,2,2
#> 3:     3     7      b     x   <NA> 2013-09-04 2012-01-05        3,3,3,3
#> 4:     4     8   <NA>     c      c       <NA> 2012-01-04        4,4,4,4
#> 5:     5     9      c     x   <NA> 2013-09-05 2012-01-03              5
#> 6:    NA    10      b     x      c 2013-09-06 2012-01-02 NA,NA,NA,NA,NA
#>          l_2
#>       <list>
#> 1:   c,c,c,c
#> 2:   c,c,c,c
#> 3:  NA,NA,NA
#> 4: c,c,c,c,c
#> 5:        NA
#> 6:       c,c

# id, measure as character/integer/numeric vectors
melt(DT, id=1:2, measure="f_1")
#>      i_1   i_2 variable  value
#>    <int> <num>   <fctr> <char>
#> 1:     1    NA      f_1      a
#> 2:     2     6      f_1      c
#> 3:     3     7      f_1      b
#> 4:     4     8      f_1   <NA>
#> 5:     5     9      f_1      c
#> 6:    NA    10      f_1      b
melt(DT, id=c("i_1", "i_2"), measure=3) # same as above
#>      i_1   i_2 variable  value
#>    <int> <num>   <fctr> <char>
#> 1:     1    NA      f_1      a
#> 2:     2     6      f_1      c
#> 3:     3     7      f_1      b
#> 4:     4     8      f_1   <NA>
#> 5:     5     9      f_1      c
#> 6:    NA    10      f_1      b
melt(DT, id=1:2, measure=3L, value.factor=TRUE) # same, but 'value' is factor
#>      i_1   i_2 variable  value
#>    <int> <num>   <fctr> <fctr>
#> 1:     1    NA      f_1      a
#> 2:     2     6      f_1      c
#> 3:     3     7      f_1      b
#> 4:     4     8      f_1   <NA>
#> 5:     5     9      f_1      c
#> 6:    NA    10      f_1      b
melt(DT, id=1:2, measure=3:4, value.factor=TRUE) # 'value' is *ordered* factor
#>       i_1   i_2 variable value
#>     <int> <num>   <fctr> <ord>
#>  1:     1    NA      f_1     a
#>  2:     2     6      f_1     c
#>  3:     3     7      f_1     b
#>  4:     4     8      f_1  <NA>
#>  5:     5     9      f_1     c
#>  6:    NA    10      f_1     b
#>  7:     1    NA      f_2     z
#>  8:     2     6      f_2     a
#>  9:     3     7      f_2     x
#> 10:     4     8      f_2     c
#> 11:     5     9      f_2     x
#> 12:    NA    10      f_2     x

# preserves attribute when types are identical, ex: Date
melt(DT, id=3:4, measure=c("d_1", "d_2"))
#>        f_1   f_2 variable      value
#>     <fctr> <ord>   <fctr>     <Date>
#>  1:      a     z      d_1 2013-09-02
#>  2:      c     a      d_1 2013-09-03
#>  3:      b     x      d_1 2013-09-04
#>  4:   <NA>     c      d_1       <NA>
#>  5:      c     x      d_1 2013-09-05
#>  6:      b     x      d_1 2013-09-06
#>  7:      a     z      d_2 2012-01-07
#>  8:      c     a      d_2 2012-01-06
#>  9:      b     x      d_2 2012-01-05
#> 10:   <NA>     c      d_2 2012-01-04
#> 11:      c     x      d_2 2012-01-03
#> 12:      b     x      d_2 2012-01-02
melt(DT, id=3:4, measure=c("i_1", "d_1")) # attribute not preserved
#> Warning: 'measure.vars' [i_1, d_1] are not all of the same type. By order of hierarchy, the molten data value column will be of type 'double'. All measure variables not of type 'double' will be coerced too. Check DETAILS in ?melt.data.table for more on coercion.
#>        f_1   f_2 variable value
#>     <fctr> <ord>   <fctr> <num>
#>  1:      a     z      i_1     1
#>  2:      c     a      i_1     2
#>  3:      b     x      i_1     3
#>  4:   <NA>     c      i_1     4
#>  5:      c     x      i_1     5
#>  6:      b     x      i_1    NA
#>  7:      a     z      d_1 15950
#>  8:      c     a      d_1 15951
#>  9:      b     x      d_1 15952
#> 10:   <NA>     c      d_1    NA
#> 11:      c     x      d_1 15953
#> 12:      b     x      d_1 15954

# on list
melt(DT, id=1, measure=c("l_1", "l_2")) # value is a list
#>       i_1 variable          value
#>     <int>   <fctr>         <list>
#>  1:     1      l_1      1,1,1,1,1
#>  2:     2      l_1        2,2,2,2
#>  3:     3      l_1        3,3,3,3
#>  4:     4      l_1        4,4,4,4
#>  5:     5      l_1              5
#>  6:    NA      l_1 NA,NA,NA,NA,NA
#>  7:     1      l_2        c,c,c,c
#>  8:     2      l_2        c,c,c,c
#>  9:     3      l_2       NA,NA,NA
#> 10:     4      l_2      c,c,c,c,c
#> 11:     5      l_2             NA
#> 12:    NA      l_2            c,c
melt(DT, id=1, measure=c("c_1", "l_1")) # c1 coerced to list
#> Warning: 'measure.vars' [c_1, l_1] are not all of the same type. By order of hierarchy, the molten data value column will be of type 'list'. All measure variables not of type 'list' will be coerced too. Check DETAILS in ?melt.data.table for more on coercion.
#>       i_1 variable          value
#>     <int>   <fctr>         <list>
#>  1:     1      c_1              c
#>  2:     2      c_1              c
#>  3:     3      c_1             NA
#>  4:     4      c_1              c
#>  5:     5      c_1             NA
#>  6:    NA      c_1              c
#>  7:     1      l_1      1,1,1,1,1
#>  8:     2      l_1        2,2,2,2
#>  9:     3      l_1        3,3,3,3
#> 10:     4      l_1        4,4,4,4
#> 11:     5      l_1              5
#> 12:    NA      l_1 NA,NA,NA,NA,NA

# on character
melt(DT, id=1, measure=c("c_1", "f_1")) # value is char
#>       i_1 variable  value
#>     <int>   <fctr> <char>
#>  1:     1      c_1      c
#>  2:     2      c_1      c
#>  3:     3      c_1   <NA>
#>  4:     4      c_1      c
#>  5:     5      c_1   <NA>
#>  6:    NA      c_1      c
#>  7:     1      f_1      a
#>  8:     2      f_1      c
#>  9:     3      f_1      b
#> 10:     4      f_1   <NA>
#> 11:     5      f_1      c
#> 12:    NA      f_1      b
melt(DT, id=1, measure=c("c_1", "i_2")) # i2 coerced to char
#> Warning: 'measure.vars' [c_1, i_2] are not all of the same type. By order of hierarchy, the molten data value column will be of type 'character'. All measure variables not of type 'character' will be coerced too. Check DETAILS in ?melt.data.table for more on coercion.
#>       i_1 variable  value
#>     <int>   <fctr> <char>
#>  1:     1      c_1      c
#>  2:     2      c_1      c
#>  3:     3      c_1   <NA>
#>  4:     4      c_1      c
#>  5:     5      c_1   <NA>
#>  6:    NA      c_1      c
#>  7:     1      i_2   <NA>
#>  8:     2      i_2      6
#>  9:     3      i_2      7
#> 10:     4      i_2      8
#> 11:     5      i_2      9
#> 12:    NA      i_2     10

# on na.rm=TRUE. NAs are removed efficiently, from within C
melt(DT, id=1, measure=c("c_1", "i_2"), na.rm=TRUE) # remove NA
#> Warning: 'measure.vars' [c_1, i_2] are not all of the same type. By order of hierarchy, the molten data value column will be of type 'character'. All measure variables not of type 'character' will be coerced too. Check DETAILS in ?melt.data.table for more on coercion.
#>      i_1 variable  value
#>    <int>   <fctr> <char>
#> 1:     1      c_1      c
#> 2:     2      c_1      c
#> 3:     4      c_1      c
#> 4:    NA      c_1      c
#> 5:     2      i_2      6
#> 6:     3      i_2      7
#> 7:     4      i_2      8
#> 8:     5      i_2      9
#> 9:    NA      i_2     10

# measure.vars can be also a list
# melt "f_1,f_2" and "d_1,d_2" simultaneously, retain 'factor' attribute
# convenient way using internal function patterns()
melt(DT, id=1:2, measure=patterns("^f_", "^d_"), value.factor=TRUE)
#>       i_1   i_2 variable value1     value2
#>     <int> <num>   <fctr>  <ord>     <Date>
#>  1:     1    NA        1      a 2013-09-02
#>  2:     2     6        1      c 2013-09-03
#>  3:     3     7        1      b 2013-09-04
#>  4:     4     8        1   <NA>       <NA>
#>  5:     5     9        1      c 2013-09-05
#>  6:    NA    10        1      b 2013-09-06
#>  7:     1    NA        2      z 2012-01-07
#>  8:     2     6        2      a 2012-01-06
#>  9:     3     7        2      x 2012-01-05
#> 10:     4     8        2      c 2012-01-04
#> 11:     5     9        2      x 2012-01-03
#> 12:    NA    10        2      x 2012-01-02
# same as above, but provide list of columns directly by column names or indices
melt(DT, id=1:2, measure=list(3:4, c("d_1", "d_2")), value.factor=TRUE)
#>       i_1   i_2 variable value1     value2
#>     <int> <num>   <fctr>  <ord>     <Date>
#>  1:     1    NA        1      a 2013-09-02
#>  2:     2     6        1      c 2013-09-03
#>  3:     3     7        1      b 2013-09-04
#>  4:     4     8        1   <NA>       <NA>
#>  5:     5     9        1      c 2013-09-05
#>  6:    NA    10        1      b 2013-09-06
#>  7:     1    NA        2      z 2012-01-07
#>  8:     2     6        2      a 2012-01-06
#>  9:     3     7        2      x 2012-01-05
#> 10:     4     8        2      c 2012-01-04
#> 11:     5     9        2      x 2012-01-03
#> 12:    NA    10        2      x 2012-01-02
# same as above, but provide names directly:
melt(DT, id=1:2, measure=patterns(f="^f_", d="^d_"), value.factor=TRUE)
#>       i_1   i_2 variable     f          d
#>     <int> <num>   <fctr> <ord>     <Date>
#>  1:     1    NA        1     a 2013-09-02
#>  2:     2     6        1     c 2013-09-03
#>  3:     3     7        1     b 2013-09-04
#>  4:     4     8        1  <NA>       <NA>
#>  5:     5     9        1     c 2013-09-05
#>  6:    NA    10        1     b 2013-09-06
#>  7:     1    NA        2     z 2012-01-07
#>  8:     2     6        2     a 2012-01-06
#>  9:     3     7        2     x 2012-01-05
#> 10:     4     8        2     c 2012-01-04
#> 11:     5     9        2     x 2012-01-03
#> 12:    NA    10        2     x 2012-01-02

# na.rm=TRUE removes rows with NAs in any 'value' columns
melt(DT, id=1:2, measure=patterns("f_", "d_"), value.factor=TRUE, na.rm=TRUE)
#>       i_1   i_2 variable value1     value2
#>     <int> <num>   <fctr>  <ord>     <Date>
#>  1:     1    NA        1      a 2013-09-02
#>  2:     2     6        1      c 2013-09-03
#>  3:     3     7        1      b 2013-09-04
#>  4:     5     9        1      c 2013-09-05
#>  5:    NA    10        1      b 2013-09-06
#>  6:     1    NA        2      z 2012-01-07
#>  7:     2     6        2      a 2012-01-06
#>  8:     3     7        2      x 2012-01-05
#>  9:     4     8        2      c 2012-01-04
#> 10:     5     9        2      x 2012-01-03
#> 11:    NA    10        2      x 2012-01-02

# return 'NA' for missing columns, 'na.rm=TRUE' ignored due to list column
melt(DT, id=1:2, measure=patterns("l_", "c_"), na.rm=TRUE)
#>       i_1   i_2 variable         value1 value2
#>     <int> <num>   <fctr>         <list> <char>
#>  1:     1    NA        1      1,1,1,1,1      c
#>  2:     2     6        1        2,2,2,2      c
#>  3:     3     7        1        3,3,3,3   <NA>
#>  4:     4     8        1        4,4,4,4      c
#>  5:     5     9        1              5   <NA>
#>  6:    NA    10        1 NA,NA,NA,NA,NA      c
#>  7:     1    NA        2        c,c,c,c   <NA>
#>  8:     2     6        2        c,c,c,c   <NA>
#>  9:     3     7        2       NA,NA,NA   <NA>
#> 10:     4     8        2      c,c,c,c,c   <NA>
#> 11:     5     9        2             NA   <NA>
#> 12:    NA    10        2            c,c   <NA>