Function to autoformat string of text

Question

I am writing a thesis that will require the reporting of the results of multiple ANOVAs. Reporting these follows the format F_1,16=5.06, P=.009. I would like a tool that does this formatting for me, potentially allowing me to switch between formats for the whole text easily, for example allowing me to change it to F(1,16)=5.06, P=.009, or even F(1,16)=5.06, P<.01 if we're getting fancy. EDIT: For the P<.01 option, an ideal solution would be that the user can add ~3 levels of significance, say, P<.05, P<.01 and P<.001 and the function automatically assigns one of these, based on the reported value.

I guess this would take the format of a custom function that would allow this to work: \reportANOVA{1,16,5.06,.009} with a function that looks something like this

reportANOVA <- function{DFN,DFD,F,P}{ 
  return(F\textsubscript{DFN,DFD}=F, \textit{p}=P)
}

The results of the function need to be within the text.

Is such a thing possible in LaTeX? I have only been using it for a week or so, so I don't know a great deal about it, but obviously similar things are possible in other programming languages (I used R's syntax here).

Since I was asked to add a MW*E, here's one:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{fixltx2e}

%Function in the preamble like this 

reportANOVA <- function{DFN,DFD,F,P}{ 
  return(F\textsubscript{DFN,DFD}=F, \textit{p}=P)
}

\begin{document}

Stats are \reportANOVA{1,16,5.06,.009}

\end{document}

*Obviously this doesn't work.

Answer 1

Here's an implementation of all your requirements:

\documentclass{article}

\usepackage{xparse}

\ExplSyntaxOn

\NewDocumentCommand{\reportANOVA}{O{}m}
 {
  \group_begin:
  \keys_set:nn { vousden/report } { #1 }
  \vousden_report:n { #2 }
  \group_end:
 }

\NewDocumentCommand{\setreportANOVA}{m}
 {
  \keys_set:nn { vousden/report } { #1 }
 }

\keys_define:nn { vousden/report }
 {
  <      .bool_set:N  = \l_vousden_report_round_bool,
  <      .initial:n   = false,
  <      .default:n   = true,
  func   .bool_set:N  = \l_vousden_report_func_bool,
  func   .default:n   = true,
  func   .initial:n   = false,
  levels .clist_set:N = \l_vousden_report_levels_clist,
  levels .initial:n   = { .05 , .01 , .001 }
 }

\seq_new:N \l_vousden_report_args_seq

\cs_new_protected:Npn \vousden_report:n #1
 {
  \seq_set_split:Nnn \l_vousden_report_args_seq { , } { #1 }
  \vousden_report_format:
 }

\cs_new_protected:Npn \vousden_report_format:
 {
  $F
  \bool_if:NTF \l_vousden_report_func_bool
   {
    (
     \__vousden_report_item:n { 1 },
     \__vousden_report_item:n { 2 }
    )
   }
   {
    \c_math_subscript_token
     {
      \__vousden_report_item:n { 1 },
      \__vousden_report_item:n { 2 }
     }
   }
  = \__vousden_report_item:n { 3 } $,~
  $p
  \bool_if:NTF \l_vousden_report_round_bool 
   {
    \__vousden_report_round:f { \__vousden_report_item:n { 4 } }
   }
   {
    = \__vousden_report_item:n { 4 }
   }
  $
 }

\cs_new:Npn \__vousden_report_item:n #1
 {
  \seq_item:Nn \l_vousden_report_args_seq { #1 }
 }

\cs_new_protected:Npn \__vousden_report_round:n #1
 {
  \clist_map_inline:Nn \l_vousden_report_levels_clist
   {
    \fp_compare:nT { #1 <= ##1 } { \tl_set:Nn \l_tmpa_tl { ##1 } }
   }
  \fp_compare:nTF { #1 == \l_tmpa_tl } { = } { < } \l_tmpa_tl
 }

\cs_generate_variant:Nn \__vousden_report_round:n { f }

\ExplSyntaxOff

\begin{document}

Stats are \reportANOVA{1,16,5.06,.009}

Stats are \reportANOVA[func]{1,16,5.06,.009}

Stats are \reportANOVA[<]{1,16,5.06,.009}

Stats are \reportANOVA[func,<]{1,16,5.06,.001}

\setreportANOVA{func,<}

Stats are \reportANOVA{1,16,5.06,.009}

\end{document}

The keys that can be specified are

• < for choosing the “levels” format for p
• func for choosing the “function” format
• levels for stating the levels (default .05,.01,.001); if specified, the levels should be expressed in decreasing order

You can use \setreportANOVA for deciding the format from that point on (respecting grouping), or specify the keys in the optional argument.

Note that, if the value for p equals one of the chosen levels, = is used instead of < even if the < key has been specified.

Answer 2

\newcommand*\reportANOVA[1]{\reportANOVAaux#1\relax}
\def\reportANOVAaux#1,#2,#3,#4\relax{\ensuremath{F_{#1,#2}=#3},\ \ensuremath{p=#4}}

The reason for \ensuremath is because I don't know where do you want to use it, wether

in text mode \reportANOVA{1,2,3,4} or in math mode
\[
  \reportANOVA{5,6,7,8}
\]

---

Edited to support the < version. The \reportANOVA command works in a “default way”, and with the star \reportANOVA*{..} you trigger some comparison of numbers: if the fourth argument is smaller than 0.001 then p < 0.001 is printed; if the fourth argument is smaller than 0.01 then p < 0.01 is printed; if it's bigger then we print p < 0.05 (no check here, so we suppose it's always smaller than that one). You may want to look at siunitx to format the numbers, but in this small case it seems not necessary.

\documentclass{scrartcl}
\usepackage{xparse}
\ExplSyntaxOn
\NewDocumentCommand \reportANOVA { s m }
 {
  \IfBooleanTF{#1}
   { \vousden_report_anova_alt:wwww #2 \q_stop }
   { \vousden_report_anova:wwww #2 \q_stop }
 }
\cs_new_protected:Npn \vousden_report_anova:wwww #1 , #2 , #3 , #4 \q_stop
 { \ensuremath { F \sb{ #1 , #2 } = #3 }, \ \ensuremath { p = #4 } }
\cs_new_protected:Npn \vousden_report_anova_alt:wwww #1 , #2 , #3 , #4 \q_stop
 {
  \group_begin:
   \fp_compare:nNnTF { #4 } < { 0.001 }
    { \fp_set:Nn \l_tmpa_fp { 0.001 } }
    {
     \fp_compare:nNnTF { #4 } < { 0.01 }
      { \fp_set:Nn \l_tmpa_fp { 0.01 } }
      { \fp_set:Nn \l_tmpa_fp { 0.05 } }
    }
   \ensuremath { F \sb{ #1 , #2 } = #3 }, \ \ensuremath { p < \fp_use:N \l_tmpa_fp }
  \group_end:
 }
\ExplSyntaxOff

\begin{document}
Foo \reportANOVA{1,16,5.06,.009} bar \reportANOVA*{1,16,5.06,.009} baz
\[
  \reportANOVA*{1,16,5.06,.0007} \quad \textrm{and} \quad \reportANOVA*{1,16,5.06,.04}
\]
\end{document}

Answer 3

EDIT (Revised Answer for Revised Question)

This uses xparse to define the command and the TiKZ maths library to handle the comparison of values.

• \reportANOVA{} takes 1 mandatory argument.
  • When used this way, any optional argument is discarded.
  • In this case, the mandatory argument should consist of 4 values separated by commas, corresponding to the requested syntax in the question.
  • For example \reportANOVA{1,3,4,56.9943}.
  • The fourth is the value of p. (So should never be 56.9943!)
• \reportANOVA*[]{} takes 1 mandatory and 1 optional argument.
  • This starred form tests the value of p against 3 values, as requested.
  • By default, these are 0.001, 0.01 and 0.05.
  • If the optional argument is specified, it should provide 3 values in a comma separated list.
  • So \reportANOVA*[0.001,0.01,0.05]{10,4.5,6,0.0345} is equivalent to \reportANOVA*{10,4.5,6,0.0345}.
  • The values passed to the optional argument are tried in turn, so the smallest should be given first.
  • That is, \reportANOVA*[0.001,0.01,0.05]{10,4.5,6,0.0045} will NOT produce the same result as \reportANOVA*[0.05,0.001,0.01]{10,4.5,6,0.0045}.
  • If p exceeds all three tested values, the standard, non-starred format will be used instead.
  • Otherwise, p will be specified as less than the first of the three values for which this claim is true.

Code:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{xparse,tikz}
\usetikzlibrary{math}
\makeatletter
\NewDocumentCommand\reportANOVA{ s > { \SplitArgument { 2 } { , } } O{.001,.01,.05} > { \SplitArgument { 3 } { , } } m }{%
  \IfBooleanTF {#1}{%
    \@reportANOVA* #2#3}{%
    \@reportANOVA #2#3}}
\NewDocumentCommand\@reportANOVA { s G{.001} G{.01} G{.05} m m m m }{%
  \IfBooleanTF {#1}{%
    \tikzmath{
      if #8 < #2 then { print $F_{#5,#6} = #7, P<#2$; } else {%
        if #8 < #3 then { print $F_{#5,#6} = #7, P<#3$; } else {%
          if #8 < #4 then { print $F_{#5,#6} = #7, P<#4$; }
            else {%
              print $F_{#5,#6} = #7, P=#8$;
            };
          };
        };
      }
  }{%
    $F_{#5,#6} = #7, P=#8$}}
\makeatother
\begin{document}

  \reportANOVA{1,16,5.06,.009}

  \reportANOVA*{1,16,5.06,.009}

  \reportANOVA*{1,16,5.06,.04}

  \reportANOVA*[.025,.05,.075]{1,16,5.06,.01}

  \reportANOVA*[.025,.05,.075]{1,16,5.06,.05}

\end{document}

Simple Case (Original Answer)

Here's an xparse solution. I've treated the function as maths but obviously, you can specify the format as text if preferred.

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{xparse}
\makeatletter
\NewDocumentCommand\reportANOVA{ > { \SplitArgument { 3 } { , } } m }{%
  \@reportANOVA #1}
\NewDocumentCommand\@reportANOVA { m m m m }{%
  $F_{#1,#2} = #3, P=#4$}
\makeatother
\begin{document}
\reportANOVA{1,16,5.06,.009}
\end{document}

Answer 4

It is a pity do not use knitr if you know R for things like that ...

This file with a .Rnw extension can be compiled out of the box with rstudio:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{fixltx2e}
\parindent 0pt

\begin{document}

Making some data ... 

<<some data,echo=F,results='asis'>>=
library(xtable)
library(pander)
factor = c("A","A","A","B","B","B","C","C","C")
variable = c(7,4,8,20,17,16,11,12,9)
Data <- data.frame(factor,variable)
xtable(Data,caption="Data used in this example.")
@

Now thinking about ...\bigskip 

(wait a moment, I am thinking ...) \bigskip 

<<anova,echo=F,results='hide'>>=
myaov <- aov(variable~factor,data=Data)
res <- summary(myaov)
sig <- round(as.numeric(res[[1]]$Pr[1]),3)
df1 <- res[[1]]$Df[1]
df2 <- res[[1]]$Df[2]
F <- round(res[[1]]$F[1],2)
p <- gsub(" ","",gsub("_", "",add.significance.stars(sig)))
PRINT <- paste ("F\\textsubscript{(",df1,",",df2,")}=",F,", p=",p,sep="")
@

Well, I think that the and the result is \Sexpr{PRINT}. 

OK ok, you do not believe me, so here is the full result: 

<<table,echo=FALSE,results='asis'>>=
xtable(myaov,caption="One way ANOVA used in this example.")
@

Now I will try again with other data frame  ... 

<<another,echo=FALSE,results='asis'>>=
rm(PRINT)
factor = c("A","A","A","B","B","B","C","C","C","D","D","D")
variable = c(7,4,8,20,17,16,11,12,9,24,74,11)
Data <- data.frame(factor,variable)
xtable(Data,caption="Another sample.")
<<anova>>
@

Now the result is \Sexpr{PRINT}. You can safely believe that I do not make any misktake passing the results from the statistical program to here. \verb|;)| 

\end{document}

Answer 5

You need something like this:

\newcommand\ANOVA[4]{$F_{#1,#2}=#3$, $P=#4$} % for F_{1,16}=5.06, P=0.009}

\newcommand\ANONA[4]{$F(#1,#2)=#3$, $P=#4$}

This is using the recommended latex idoms. You then use these command with

\ANOVA{1}{16}{5.06}{0.009}

A better alternative is to TeX \def command:

\def\ANONA(#1,#2,#3,#4){$F_{#1,#2}=#3$, $P=#4$}

Now you simply type \ANONA(1,16,50.06,0.009).

There is one caveats, however, depending on how you intend to use these. I have written these macros assuming that you want to use these in text. If you want to use them in mathematics then delete all of the dollar signs above. You can also define the macros using \ensuremath but my personal preference is to always avoid and write the macro according to how I intend to use it.

Answer 6

Set up to be used in text mode. Allows for auto-switching of default format.

EDITED to provide an optional argument to override default format.

REDITED to achieve roundup, using Werner's approach from How to round number to two digits after the decimal place and have a comma separator?

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{siunitx}
\ExplSyntaxOn
  \cs_new_eq:NN \calc \fp_eval:n
\ExplSyntaxOff

\newcommand\AreportANOVA[4]{$F_{#1,#2}=#3,P=#4$}
\newcommand\BreportANOVA[4]{$F(#1,#2)=#3,P=#4$}
\newcommand\CreportANOVA[4]{$F(#1,#2)=#3,P<\formatNumber{.005+#4}$}
\newcommand\reportformat[1]{%
  \if A#1\let\xreportANOVA\AreportANOVA\else
  \if B#1\let\xreportANOVA\BreportANOVA\else
  \if C#1\let\xreportANOVA\CreportANOVA\fi\fi\fi
}
\reportformat{A}% THE DEFAULT
\newcommand\reportANOVA[5][X]{\reportformat{#1}\xreportANOVA{#2}{#3}{#4}{#5}}
\newcommand*{\formatNumber}[2][]{\num[%
  round-mode=places,% Round output to specified number of places
  round-precision=2,% Round-precision is 3
  output-decimal-marker={.},% Use , as decimal marker
  #1% Other options
  ]{\calc{#2}}}
\begin{document}
A-format currently default.\par
\reportANOVA{1}{16}{5.06}{.009}\par
But others can be invoked with optional argument\par
\reportANOVA[B]{1}{16}{5.06}{.009}\par
\reportANOVA[C]{1}{16}{5.06}{.009}\par
\reportformat{C}
Now C-format is the default\par
\reportANOVA{1}{16}{5.06}{.042}\par
\end{document}