How to add values from different columns of input file and output it USING R ONLY

[nkazi01]

Hi I am inputting data from an excel file using input tool and connecting it to R. Then I want to take the value from calumn#3 and the value from column#5 and set it equal to "total_value" and and output a new excel file. I am getting error when i run the below code. Do I need to install any packages?

input_file <- read.Alteryx("#1",mode="data.frame")

value_1 = input_file [1,3]
value_2 = input_file [1,5]

total_value = value_1 + value_2

Input file --> input.csv

item	name	value_1	date	value_2
1	john	1234	2022-08-03	5678

Output file --> output.csv

name	total_value
john	6912

[IraWatt · Accepted solution]

Hey @nkazi01,

Here is one way to do this:

input_file = read.Alteryx("#1", mode="data.frame")

value_1 = input_file[1,3]
value_2 = input_file[1,5]

name <- input_file[1,2]
total_value <- value_1 + value_2

df = data.frame(name, total_value)

write.Alteryx(df, 1)

Any questions or issues please ask

Ira Watt
Technical Consultant
Watt@Bulien.com 

[nkazi01]

hi @IraWatt , Thank you for your solution. But that's interesting because I tried the same and kept getting an error saying '+' operator cannot be used. But yea I was expecting it to work like that as well. Did you have to install any special package for it? Are you able to share what packages you currently have installed 

[IraWatt · Accepted solution]

Aahhh @nkazi01  I think because your data is CSV the numbers would come in as text/string data AKA not numeric data. This would explain the error. Try adding a select tool before your code and change the data types to integers. I have no installed packages. 

[nkazi01]

Hi @IraWatt , yes you are right, my input files are in fact csv files. That definitely explains the error. I will try converting it using the select tool. 

Thank you very much for your help and the suggestion.