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Fix mergelist.Rd documentation#7679

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trobx wants to merge 1 commit intoRdatatable:masterfrom
trobx:issue-7190-docs-mergelist
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Fix mergelist.Rd documentation#7679
trobx wants to merge 1 commit intoRdatatable:masterfrom
trobx:issue-7190-docs-mergelist

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@trobx trobx commented Mar 21, 2026

closes #7190
Another go at this - replaces a previous PR now deleted.

@trobx trobx requested a review from MichaelChirico as a code owner March 21, 2026 14:42
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trobx commented Mar 21, 2026

I hope this is helpful. Adding some explanation. Recall that the main issue is the fact that the current definition of join-from/-to incorrectly talks about row and column order.

  • A table makes things much shorter and clearer: a user can see the pattern at a glance.
  • Jan, you said wanted to abstract from row order, but I've nevertheless suggested including a column that states the output key in each case (but without further text). I think this is helpful information, and there is no risk of it confusing matters re. the join-from/to distinction - in fact a separate column makes it clear that row order is not part of that concept.
  • Because the table is so clear I don't think we need a compare/contrast with x[i] to add clarity, which Michael had raised last time. Likewise I don't think there needs to be a potted verbal description of join-from/join-to now (I had something about the "searching"/"searched" tables previously) - we can just cut to the chase.

Please note two points about content:

  • Because join-from/-to don't have any significance for the cross join, I've proposed listing them as "n/a" for that case (instead of "both" as in the current text). I actually think "both" might be a little confusing here.
  • I've proposed leaving out the sentence about not using mult="error" to check for duplicates as somehow it seems to me an odd thing to warn about.

@MichaelChirico MichaelChirico requested review from jangorecki and removed request for MichaelChirico March 21, 2026 22:01
@ben-schwen ben-schwen changed the title Fix mergelist.Rd documentation (closes #7190) Fix mergelist.Rd documentation Mar 22, 2026
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Revise explanation of 'join-to'/'join-from' in mergelist documentation

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