Collecting output

Generally, one should keep pipeline steps as simple as possible, basically following the principle “one step, one task”. This means that usually a lot of pipeline steps are used to calculate intermediate results and only a few steps contain the final results that we are interested in. This vignette shows how to conveniently collect and possibly group the output of those final steps.

Flag output steps

Output steps are flagged by settting the keepOut argument to TRUE when adding a step to the pipeline. In the following example, we will want to keep the output of the steps data_summary, model_summary, and model_plot.

library(pipeflow)
library(ggplot2)

pip <- pipe_new(
        "my-pipeline",
        data = airquality
    ) |>

    pipe_add(
        "data_prep",
        function(data = ~data) {
            replace(data, "Temp.Celsius", (data[, "Temp"] - 32) * 5/9)
        }
    ) |>

    pipe_add(
        "data_summary",
        function(
            data = ~data_prep,
            xVar = "Temp.Celsius",
            yVar = "Ozone"
        ) {
            data[, c(xVar, yVar)]
        }
    ) |>

    pipe_add(
        "model_fit",
        function(
            data = ~data_prep,
            xVar = "Temp.Celsius",
            yVar = "Ozone"
        ) {
            lm(paste(yVar, "~", xVar), data = data)
        }
    ) |>

    pipe_add(
        "model_summary",
        function(
            fit = ~model_fit
        ) {
            summary(fit)
        }
    ) |>

    pipe_add(
        "model_plot",
        function(
            model = ~model_fit,
            data = ~data_prep,
            xVar = "Temp.Celsius",
            yVar = "Ozone",
            title = "Linear model fit"
        ) {
            coeffs <- coefficients(model)
            ggplot(data) +
                geom_point(aes(.data[[xVar]], .data[["Ozone"]])) +
                geom_abline(intercept = coeffs[1], slope = coeffs[2]) +
                labs(title = title)
        }
    )

Looking at the pipeline, we see that the steps data_summary, model-summary, and model_plot have been flagged accordingly (see column keepOut).

pip
#             step             depends    out         group  state
#           <char>              <list> <list>        <char> <char>
# 1:          data                     [NULL]          data    New
# 2:     data_prep                data [NULL]     data_prep    New
# 3:  data_summary           data_prep [NULL]  data_summary    New
# 4:     model_fit           data_prep [NULL]     model_fit    New
# 5: model_summary           model_fit [NULL] model_summary    New
# 6:    model_plot model_fit,data_prep [NULL]    model_plot    New

Now let’s run and collect the output of the flagged steps using the collect_out method, which returns a list with the output of the flagged steps.

pip$run()

out <- pip$collect_out()

names(out)
# [1] "data"          "data_prep"     "data_summary"  "model_fit"     "model_summary" "model_plot"

As expected, the output list contains the output of the flagged steps.

str(out, max.level = 1)
# List of 6
#  $ data         :'data.frame':    153 obs. of  6 variables:
#  $ data_prep    :'data.frame':    153 obs. of  7 variables:
#  $ data_summary :'data.frame':    153 obs. of  2 variables:
#  $ model_fit    :List of 13
#   ..- attr(*, "class")= chr "lm"
#  $ model_summary:List of 12
#   ..- attr(*, "class")= chr "summary.lm"
#  $ model_plot   : <ggplot2::ggplot>
#   ..@ data       :'data.frame':   153 obs. of  7 variables:
#   ..@ layers     :List of 2
#   ..@ scales     :Classes 'ScalesList', 'ggproto', 'gg' <ggproto object: Class ScalesList, gg>
#     add: function
#     add_defaults: function
#     add_missing: function
#     backtransform_df: function
#     clone: function
#     find: function
#     get_scales: function
#     has_scale: function
#     input: function
#     map_df: function
#     n: function
#     non_position_scales: function
#     scales: list
#     set_palettes: function
#     train_df: function
#     transform_df: function
#     super:  <ggproto object: Class ScalesList, gg> 
#   ..@ guides     :Classes 'Guides', 'ggproto', 'gg' <ggproto object: Class Guides, gg>
#     add: function
#     assemble: function
#     build: function
#     draw: function
#     get_custom: function
#     get_guide: function
#     get_params: function
#     get_position: function
#     guides: NULL
#     merge: function
#     missing: <ggproto object: Class GuideNone, Guide, gg>
#         add_title: function
#         arrange_layout: function
#         assemble_drawing: function
#         available_aes: any
#         build_decor: function
#         build_labels: function
#         build_ticks: function
#         build_title: function
#         draw: function
#         draw_early_exit: function
#         elements: list
#         extract_decor: function
#         extract_key: function
#         extract_params: function
#         get_layer_key: function
#         hashables: list
#         measure_grobs: function
#         merge: function
#         override_elements: function
#         params: list
#         process_layers: function
#         setup_elements: function
#         setup_params: function
#         train: function
#         transform: function
#         super:  <ggproto object: Class GuideNone, Guide, gg>
#     package_box: function
#     print: function
#     process_layers: function
#     setup: function
#     subset_guides: function
#     train: function
#     update_params: function
#     super:  <ggproto object: Class Guides, gg> 
#   ..@ mapping    : <ggplot2::mapping>  Named list()
#   ..@ theme      : <theme>  Named list()
#  .. .. @ complete: logi FALSE
#  .. .. @ validate: logi TRUE
#   ..@ coordinates:Classes 'CoordCartesian', 'Coord', 'ggproto', 'gg' <ggproto object: Class CoordCartesian, Coord, gg>
#     aspect: function
#     backtransform_range: function
#     clip: on
#     default: TRUE
#     distance: function
#     draw_panel: function
#     expand: TRUE
#     is_free: function
#     is_linear: function
#     labels: function
#     limits: list
#     modify_scales: function
#     range: function
#     ratio: NULL
#     render_axis_h: function
#     render_axis_v: function
#     render_bg: function
#     render_fg: function
#     reverse: none
#     setup_data: function
#     setup_layout: function
#     setup_panel_guides: function
#     setup_panel_params: function
#     setup_params: function
#     train_panel_guides: function
#     transform: function
#     super:  <ggproto object: Class CoordCartesian, Coord, gg> 
#   ..@ facet      :Classes 'FacetNull', 'Facet', 'ggproto', 'gg' <ggproto object: Class FacetNull, Facet, gg>
#     attach_axes: function
#     attach_strips: function
#     compute_layout: function
#     draw_back: function
#     draw_front: function
#     draw_labels: function
#     draw_panel_content: function
#     draw_panels: function
#     finish_data: function
#     format_strip_labels: function
#     init_gtable: function
#     init_scales: function
#     map_data: function
#     params: list
#     set_panel_size: function
#     setup_data: function
#     setup_panel_params: function
#     setup_params: function
#     shrink: TRUE
#     train_scales: function
#     vars: function
#     super:  <ggproto object: Class FacetNull, Facet, gg> 
#   ..@ layout     :Classes 'Layout', 'ggproto', 'gg' <ggproto object: Class Layout, gg>
#     coord: NULL
#     coord_params: list
#     facet: NULL
#     facet_params: list
#     finish_data: function
#     get_scales: function
#     layout: NULL
#     map_position: function
#     panel_params: NULL
#     panel_scales_x: NULL
#     panel_scales_y: NULL
#     render: function
#     render_labels: function
#     reset_scales: function
#     resolve_label: function
#     setup: function
#     setup_panel_guides: function
#     setup_panel_params: function
#     train_position: function
#     super:  <ggproto object: Class Layout, gg> 
#   ..@ labels     : <ggplot2::labels> List of 1
#  .. .. $ title: chr "Linear model fit"
#   ..@ meta       : list()
#   ..@ plot_env   :<environment: 0x5627a63aa3d8>

Grouping output steps

Often certain output steps are related and should be grouped together. This can be achieved conveniently by setting the group argument when adding a step to the pipeline. Let’s illustrate this by slightly modifying the previous example.

pip <- Pipeline$new("my-pipeline", data = airquality) |>

    pipe_add(
        "data_prep",
        function(data = ~data) {
            replace(data, "Temp.Celsius", (data[, "Temp"] - 32) * 5/9)
        }
    ) |>

    pipe_add(
        "used_data",
        function(
            data = ~data_prep,
            xVar = "Temp.Celsius",
            yVar = "Ozone"
        ) {
            data[, c(xVar, yVar)]
        },
        group = "Data"                 # <- define 'Data' group here
    ) |>

    pipe_add(
        "model_fit",
        function(
            data = ~data_prep,
            xVar = "Temp.Celsius",
            yVar = "Ozone"
        ) {
            lm(paste(yVar, "~", xVar), data = data)
        }
    ) |>

    pipe_add(
        "model_summary",
        function(
            fit = ~model_fit
        ) {
            summary(fit)
        },
        group = "Model"                # <- define 'Model' group here
    ) |>

    pipe_add(
        "model_plot",
        function(
            model = ~model_fit,
            data = ~data_prep,
            xVar = "Temp.Celsius",
            yVar = "Ozone",
            title = "Linear model fit"
        ) {
            coeffs <- coefficients(model)
            ggplot(data) +
                geom_point(aes(.data[[xVar]], .data[["Ozone"]])) +
                geom_abline(intercept = coeffs[1], slope = coeffs[2]) +
                labs(title = title)
        },
        group = "Model"                # <- define 'Model' group here
    )

Looking at the pipeline, the defined groups are shown in the group column.

pip
#             step             depends    out     group  state
#           <char>              <list> <list>    <char> <char>
# 1:          data                     [NULL]      data    New
# 2:     data_prep                data [NULL] data_prep    New
# 3:     used_data           data_prep [NULL]      Data    New
# 4:     model_fit           data_prep [NULL] model_fit    New
# 5: model_summary           model_fit [NULL]     Model    New
# 6:    model_plot model_fit,data_prep [NULL]     Model    New

As you see, by default, the group is identical to the step name, that is, each step represents the trivial case of a one-sized group. Again, we run the pipeline and collect the output.

pip$run()

out <- pip$collect_out()

names(out)
# [1] "data"      "data_prep" "Data"      "model_fit" "Model"

As we can see, the output related to the modelling has been grouped into one sublist named Model.

str(out, max.level = 2)
# List of 5
#  $ data     :'data.frame':    153 obs. of  6 variables:
#   ..$ Ozone  : int [1:153] 41 36 12 18 NA 28 23 19 8 NA ...
#   ..$ Solar.R: int [1:153] 190 118 149 313 NA NA 299 99 19 194 ...
#   ..$ Wind   : num [1:153] 7.4 8 12.6 11.5 14.3 14.9 8.6 13.8 20.1 8.6 ...
#   ..$ Temp   : int [1:153] 67 72 74 62 56 66 65 59 61 69 ...
#   ..$ Month  : int [1:153] 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 ...
#   ..$ Day    : int [1:153] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ...
#  $ data_prep:'data.frame':    153 obs. of  7 variables:
#   ..$ Ozone       : int [1:153] 41 36 12 18 NA 28 23 19 8 NA ...
#   ..$ Solar.R     : int [1:153] 190 118 149 313 NA NA 299 99 19 194 ...
#   ..$ Wind        : num [1:153] 7.4 8 12.6 11.5 14.3 14.9 8.6 13.8 20.1 8.6 ...
#   ..$ Temp        : int [1:153] 67 72 74 62 56 66 65 59 61 69 ...
#   ..$ Month       : int [1:153] 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 ...
#   ..$ Day         : int [1:153] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ...
#   ..$ Temp.Celsius: num [1:153] 19.4 22.2 23.3 16.7 13.3 ...
#  $ Data     :'data.frame':    153 obs. of  2 variables:
#   ..$ Temp.Celsius: num [1:153] 19.4 22.2 23.3 16.7 13.3 ...
#   ..$ Ozone       : int [1:153] 41 36 12 18 NA 28 23 19 8 NA ...
#  $ model_fit:List of 13
#   ..$ coefficients : Named num [1:2] -69.28 4.37
#   .. ..- attr(*, "names")= chr [1:2] "(Intercept)" "Temp.Celsius"
#   ..$ residuals    : Named num [1:116] 25.27 8.13 -20.73 14.42 14.7 ...
#   .. ..- attr(*, "names")= chr [1:116] "1" "2" "3" "4" ...
#   ..$ effects      : Named num [1:116] -453.7 247 -23 11.4 11.9 ...
#   .. ..- attr(*, "names")= chr [1:116] "(Intercept)" "Temp.Celsius" "" "" ...
#   ..$ rank         : int 2
#   ..$ fitted.values: Named num [1:116] 15.73 27.87 32.73 3.58 13.3 ...
#   .. ..- attr(*, "names")= chr [1:116] "1" "2" "3" "4" ...
#   ..$ assign       : int [1:2] 0 1
#   ..$ qr           :List of 5
#   .. ..- attr(*, "class")= chr "qr"
#   ..$ df.residual  : int 114
#   ..$ na.action    : 'omit' Named int [1:37] 5 10 25 26 27 32 33 34 35 36 ...
#   .. ..- attr(*, "names")= chr [1:37] "5" "10" "25" "26" ...
#   ..$ xlevels      : Named list()
#   ..$ call         : language lm(formula = paste(yVar, "~", xVar), data = data)
#   ..$ terms        :Classes 'terms', 'formula'  language Ozone ~ Temp.Celsius
#   .. .. ..- attr(*, "variables")= language list(Ozone, Temp.Celsius)
#   .. .. ..- attr(*, "factors")= int [1:2, 1] 0 1
#   .. .. .. ..- attr(*, "dimnames")=List of 2
#   .. .. ..- attr(*, "term.labels")= chr "Temp.Celsius"
#   .. .. ..- attr(*, "order")= int 1
#   .. .. ..- attr(*, "intercept")= int 1
#   .. .. ..- attr(*, "response")= int 1
#   .. .. ..- attr(*, ".Environment")=<environment: 0x5627a579aa20> 
#   .. .. ..- attr(*, "predvars")= language list(Ozone, Temp.Celsius)
#   .. .. ..- attr(*, "dataClasses")= Named chr [1:2] "numeric" "numeric"
#   .. .. .. ..- attr(*, "names")= chr [1:2] "Ozone" "Temp.Celsius"
#   ..$ model        :'data.frame': 116 obs. of  2 variables:
#   .. ..- attr(*, "terms")=Classes 'terms', 'formula'  language Ozone ~ Temp.Celsius
#   .. .. .. ..- attr(*, "variables")= language list(Ozone, Temp.Celsius)
#   .. .. .. ..- attr(*, "factors")= int [1:2, 1] 0 1
#   .. .. .. .. ..- attr(*, "dimnames")=List of 2
#   .. .. .. ..- attr(*, "term.labels")= chr "Temp.Celsius"
#   .. .. .. ..- attr(*, "order")= int 1
#   .. .. .. ..- attr(*, "intercept")= int 1
#   .. .. .. ..- attr(*, "response")= int 1
#   .. .. .. ..- attr(*, ".Environment")=<environment: 0x5627a579aa20> 
#   .. .. .. ..- attr(*, "predvars")= language list(Ozone, Temp.Celsius)
#   .. .. .. ..- attr(*, "dataClasses")= Named chr [1:2] "numeric" "numeric"
#   .. .. .. .. ..- attr(*, "names")= chr [1:2] "Ozone" "Temp.Celsius"
#   .. ..- attr(*, "na.action")= 'omit' Named int [1:37] 5 10 25 26 27 32 33 34 35 36 ...
#   .. .. ..- attr(*, "names")= chr [1:37] "5" "10" "25" "26" ...
#   ..- attr(*, "class")= chr "lm"
#  $ Model    :List of 2
#   ..$ model_summary:List of 12
#   .. ..- attr(*, "class")= chr "summary.lm"
#   ..$ model_plot   : <ggplot2::ggplot>
#   .. ..@ data       :'data.frame':    153 obs. of  7 variables:
#   .. ..@ layers     :List of 2
#   .. ..@ scales     :Classes 'ScalesList', 'ggproto', 'gg' <ggproto object: Class ScalesList, gg>
#     add: function
#     add_defaults: function
#     add_missing: function
#     backtransform_df: function
#     clone: function
#     find: function
#     get_scales: function
#     has_scale: function
#     input: function
#     map_df: function
#     n: function
#     non_position_scales: function
#     scales: list
#     set_palettes: function
#     train_df: function
#     transform_df: function
#     super:  <ggproto object: Class ScalesList, gg> 
#   .. ..@ guides     :Classes 'Guides', 'ggproto', 'gg' <ggproto object: Class Guides, gg>
#     add: function
#     assemble: function
#     build: function
#     draw: function
#     get_custom: function
#     get_guide: function
#     get_params: function
#     get_position: function
#     guides: NULL
#     merge: function
#     missing: <ggproto object: Class GuideNone, Guide, gg>
#         add_title: function
#         arrange_layout: function
#         assemble_drawing: function
#         available_aes: any
#         build_decor: function
#         build_labels: function
#         build_ticks: function
#         build_title: function
#         draw: function
#         draw_early_exit: function
#         elements: list
#         extract_decor: function
#         extract_key: function
#         extract_params: function
#         get_layer_key: function
#         hashables: list
#         measure_grobs: function
#         merge: function
#         override_elements: function
#         params: list
#         process_layers: function
#         setup_elements: function
#         setup_params: function
#         train: function
#         transform: function
#         super:  <ggproto object: Class GuideNone, Guide, gg>
#     package_box: function
#     print: function
#     process_layers: function
#     setup: function
#     subset_guides: function
#     train: function
#     update_params: function
#     super:  <ggproto object: Class Guides, gg> 
#   .. ..@ mapping    : <ggplot2::mapping>  Named list()
#   .. ..@ theme      : <theme>  Named list()
#  .. .. .. @ complete: logi FALSE
#  .. .. .. @ validate: logi TRUE
#   .. ..@ coordinates:Classes 'CoordCartesian', 'Coord', 'ggproto', 'gg' <ggproto object: Class CoordCartesian, Coord, gg>
#     aspect: function
#     backtransform_range: function
#     clip: on
#     default: TRUE
#     distance: function
#     draw_panel: function
#     expand: TRUE
#     is_free: function
#     is_linear: function
#     labels: function
#     limits: list
#     modify_scales: function
#     range: function
#     ratio: NULL
#     render_axis_h: function
#     render_axis_v: function
#     render_bg: function
#     render_fg: function
#     reverse: none
#     setup_data: function
#     setup_layout: function
#     setup_panel_guides: function
#     setup_panel_params: function
#     setup_params: function
#     train_panel_guides: function
#     transform: function
#     super:  <ggproto object: Class CoordCartesian, Coord, gg> 
#   .. ..@ facet      :Classes 'FacetNull', 'Facet', 'ggproto', 'gg' <ggproto object: Class FacetNull, Facet, gg>
#     attach_axes: function
#     attach_strips: function
#     compute_layout: function
#     draw_back: function
#     draw_front: function
#     draw_labels: function
#     draw_panel_content: function
#     draw_panels: function
#     finish_data: function
#     format_strip_labels: function
#     init_gtable: function
#     init_scales: function
#     map_data: function
#     params: list
#     set_panel_size: function
#     setup_data: function
#     setup_panel_params: function
#     setup_params: function
#     shrink: TRUE
#     train_scales: function
#     vars: function
#     super:  <ggproto object: Class FacetNull, Facet, gg> 
#   .. ..@ layout     :Classes 'Layout', 'ggproto', 'gg' <ggproto object: Class Layout, gg>
#     coord: NULL
#     coord_params: list
#     facet: NULL
#     facet_params: list
#     finish_data: function
#     get_scales: function
#     layout: NULL
#     map_position: function
#     panel_params: NULL
#     panel_scales_x: NULL
#     panel_scales_y: NULL
#     render: function
#     render_labels: function
#     reset_scales: function
#     resolve_label: function
#     setup: function
#     setup_panel_guides: function
#     setup_panel_params: function
#     train_position: function
#     super:  <ggproto object: Class Layout, gg> 
#   .. ..@ labels     : <ggplot2::labels> List of 1
#  .. .. .. $ title: chr "Linear model fit"
#   .. ..@ meta       : list()
#   .. ..@ plot_env   :<environment: 0x5627a5b7b1a0>