Motivation
To be used in health economic analyses, model modules need to be called using a programming syntax. Ideally that syntax should be relatively simple, with the name and description of each command reliably communicating the category of operations it performs.
Implementation
ready4 provides a simple syntax that is used by all
model modules developed with the ready4
framework.
Use
A table that itemises ready4 commands along with
examples of how these commands are used can be ingested from a
periodically updated database using get_methods_tb. In the
below example we will search for examples of where that syntax has been
used by modules from the readyforwhatsnext model. The
value supplied to the gh_repo_1L_chr argument specifies the
repository in which a dataset of readyforwhatsnext module libraries is
stored.
x <- get_methods_tb(gh_repo_1L_chr = "ready4-dev/ready4")## A character string is being returned. If this is not what you expected, it is likely to be the error message produced when the requested online resource has not been found. Set the not_chr_1L_lgl argument to TRUE to force a NULL return value when an internet resource is not found.Core commands
A HTML table of ready4’s core commands and examples of
the use of each command can be displayed using the
print_methods function, using the
return_1L_chr = "core" argument.
print_methods(x,
return_1L_chr = "core",
scroll_width_1L_chr = "100%") | Method | Purpose | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| author | Author and save files | 5 , 6, 7 , 16 , 17 |
| characterize | Characterize model module data by generating (tabular) descriptive statistics | |
| depict | Depict (plot) features of model module data | 13, 14 , 15 |
| enhance | Enhance a model module by adding new elements | |
| exhibit | Exhibit features of model module data by printing them to the R console | 2 , 5 , 6, 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 |
| ingest | Ingest data | 1 , 2 , 3 , 6, 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 |
| investigate | Investigate solutions to an inverse problem | 16 , 17 |
| manufacture | Manufacture a new object | |
| metamorphose | Metamorphose a model module to a model module of a different (non-inheriting) class | 17 |
| procure | Procure items from a dataset | 5, 17 |
| prognosticate | Prognosticate (make predictions) by solving a forward problem | |
| ratify | Ratify that input or output data meet validity criteria | 13, 17 , 19 , 20 |
| reckon | Reckon (calculate) a value | |
| renew | Renew (update) values | 1 , 2 , 13, 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 19 , 20 |
| share | Share data via an online repository | 1 , 13, 14 , 15 , 16 |
Applying commands to module “slots”
Each of the “core” commands also has a “slot” version, which applies the command to a specified slot (a named element of a module). Two of these “slot” methods can also be used for additional purposes:
procureSlot is a “getter” method - its default behaviour is to return the value of a specified slot. If the argument
use_procure_mthd_1L_lgl = Tis included in the method call,procureSlotwill instead apply theprocuremethod to a specified slot.renewSlot is a “setter” method - if any value other than “use_renew_mthd” (the default) is passed to the
new_val_xxargument, that value will be assigned to the specified slot.
A HTML table of slot commands and relevant examples can be displayed
using the print_methods function, using the
return_1L_chr = "slot" argument.
print_methods(x,
return_1L_chr = "slot",
scroll_width_1L_chr = "100%")| Method | Purpose | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| authorSlot | Apply the author method to a model module slot | |
| characterizeSlot | Apply the characterize method to a model module slot | |
| depictSlot | Apply the depict method to a model module slot | |
| enhanceSlot | Apply the enhance method to a model module slot | |
| exhibitSlot | Apply the exhibit method to a model module slot | 4, 17 , 19 , 20 |
| ingestSlot | Apply the ingest method to a model module slot | |
| investigateSlot | Apply the investigate method to a model module slot | |
| manufactureSlot | Apply the manufacture method to a model module slot | |
| metamorphoseSlot | Apply the metamorphose method to a model module slot | |
| procureSlot | Procure (get) data from a slot | 4, 14 , 16 , 17 |
| prognosticateSlot | Apply the prognosticate method to a model module slot | |
| ratifySlot | Apply the ratify method to a model module slot | |
| reckonSlot | Apply the reckon method to a model module slot | |
| renewSlot | Renew (set) the values of data in a module slot | 4, 14 , 17 , 19 , 20 |
| shareSlot | Apply the share method to a model module slot |
Extended commands
Finally, there are a small number of other commands that are more
general extensions of the core commands. Currently, these extended
commands are all variants on the author command, with each
extension specifying the type of output to be authored by the method. A
HTML table of the extended generics bundled with ready4 can
be displayed using the print_methods function, using the
return_1L_chr = "extended" argument.
print_methods(x,
exclude_mthds_for_chr = "Ready4Module",
return_1L_chr = "extended",
scroll_width_1L_chr = "100%")| Method | Purpose | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| authorClasses | Author and document classes | |
| authorData | Author and document datasets | 4, 17 |
| authorFunctions | Author and document functions | |
| authorReport | Author and save a report | 4 |