

   AAssssiiggnn aa VVaalluuee ttoo aa NNaammee

        assign(x, value, pos = -1, envir = sys.frame(sys.parent()),
               inherits = FALSE, immediate = TRUE)
        x <- value
        x <<- value
        value -> x
        value ->> x

   AArrgguummeennttss::

          x: a variable name (given as a quoted string).

      value: a value to be assigned to `x'.

        pos: an index into the search list which determines
             which environment the assignment is to take place
             in. A character string may also be used. The envi-
             ronment can also be specified directly with
             `envir'.

      envir: the `environment' in which to assign.  The default
             is the environment where the call to `assign'
             takes place.

   inherits: should the enclosing frames of the environment be
             inspected?

   immediate: an ignored compatibility feature.

   VVaalluuee::

        This function is invoked for its side effect, which is
        assigning `value' to the variable `x'.  If no `envir'
        is specified, then the assignment takes place in the
        currently active environment.

        If `inherits' is `TRUE', parents of the supplied envi-
        ronment are searched until the variable `x' is encoun-
        tered.  The value is then assigned in the environment
        in which the variable is encountered.  If the symbol is
        not encountered then assignment takes place in the
        global environment.

        If `inherits' is `FALSE', assignment takes place in the
        initial frame of `envir'.

        The arrow forms of assignment provide shortcut ways to
        carry out assignment.  The `<-' and `->' forms carry
        out assignment in the local environment frame, while
        the `<<-' and `->>' forms cause a search to made
        through the environment for an existing definition of
        the variable being assigned.  If such a variable is
        found then its value is redefined, otherwise assignment
        takes place globally.

        Note that the action of `<<-' and `->>' differs from
        that in the S language, but is useful in conjunction
        with the scoping rules of R.

   SSeeee AAllssoo::

        `get', `environment'.

   EExxaammpplleess::

        for(i in 1:6) { #-- Create objects  'r1', 'r2', ... 'r6' --
         nam <- paste("r",i, sep=".")
         assign(nam, 1:i)
        }
        ls(pat="^r..$")

        ##-- Global assignment within a function:
        myf <- function(x) {
         innerf <- function(x) assign("Global.res", x^2, env = .GlobalEnv)
         innerf(x+1)
        }
        myf(3)
        Global.res # 16

