The R Project SVN R

\name{class}
\alias{class}
\alias{class<-}
\title{Class of an Object}
\usage{
class(object)

class(object) <- value
}
\description{

Returns the name of the object's class as a character string.

In contrast to the version of this function in the base package, this
version of \code{class} never
returns \code{NULL}.  For objects that do not have a formal class
definition, and do not have the \code{"class"} attribute set, the
value returned is effectively the same as \code{data.class}.

The replacement version of the function sets the class to the value
provided.  For classes that have a formal definition, directly
replacing the class this way is strongly deprecated.  The expression
\code{as(object, value)} is the way to coerce an object to a
particular class.
  
}
\references{
The web page \url{http://www.omegahat.org/RSMethods/index.html} is the primary documentation.

The functions in this package emulate the facility for classes and methods described in
\emph{Programming with Data}, (John M. Chambers, Springer, 1998).  See this book
for further details and examples.
}
\author{
  John Chambers
}
\seealso{\code{\link{as}}}
\keyword{programming}
\keyword{classes}