Convert Survival Data from Wide to Long

Question

I am reading http://www.uk.sagepub.com/books/Book233417 and the Rcmdr is used to transform the Rossi data http://cran.r-project.org/doc/contrib/Fox-Companion/Rossi.txt from wide to long for time-varying survival analysis.

The Rcmdr script to do the transformation is:

.CovSets <-structure(list(covariate.1 = c("emp1", "emp2", "emp3", "emp4", "emp5", "emp6", "emp7", "emp8", "emp9", "emp10", "emp11", "emp12", "emp13", "emp14", "emp15", "emp16", "emp17", "emp18", "emp19", "emp20", "emp21", "emp22", "emp23", "emp24", "emp25", "emp26", "emp27", "emp28", "emp29","emp30", "emp31", "emp32", "emp33", "emp34", "emp35", "emp36", "emp37", "emp38", "emp39", "emp40", "emp41", "emp42", "emp43", "emp44", "emp45", "emp46", "emp47", "emp48", "emp49", "emp50", "emp51", "emp52")), .Names =  "covariate.1")
Rossi.long <- unfold(Rossi, time="week", event="arrest", cov=.CovSets, 
                                         cov.names=c("covariate.1"))
remove(.CovSets)

However this script does not run if the Rcmdr is not loaded.

The results of the Rcmdr script transforms the Rossi dataframe from

> head(Rossi,20)
   week arrest fin age race wexp mar paro prio educ emp1 emp2 emp3 emp4 emp5 emp6 emp7 emp8 emp9 emp10 emp11 emp12 emp13 emp14 emp15 emp16 emp17 emp18 emp19 emp20 emp21 emp22 emp23 emp24 emp25
1    20      1   0  27    1    0   0    1    3    3    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA
2    17      1   0  18    1    0   0    1    8    4    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0     1     1     1     1     1     0     0     0    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA
3    25      1   0  19    0    1   0    1   13    3    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     1     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0
4    52      0   1  23    1    1   1    1    1    5    0    0    0    0    1    1    1    1    1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     0     0     0     0
5    52      0   0  19    0    1   0    1    3    3    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1
6    52      0   0  24    1    1   0    0    2    4    0    0    0    0    1    1    1    1    1     1     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     1     1     1
7    23      1   0  25    1    1   1    1    0    4    1    1    1    1    1    1    1    1    1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     0    NA    NA
8    52      0   1  21    1    1   0    1    4    3    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     1     1     0     0     1     1
9    52      0   0  22    1    0   0    0    6    3    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0     0     0     0     0     0     0     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     0     0     0
10   52      0   0  20    1    1   0    0    0    5    0    1    1    1    1    0    0    0    0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0
11   52      0   1  26    1    0   0    1    3    3    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     0     0     0     0     0     0     0
12   52      0   0  40    1    1   0    0    2    5    0    0    0    0    1    1    1    1    1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1
13   37      1   0  17    1    1   0    1    5    3    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0
14   52      0   0  37    1    1   0    0    2    3    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     1     1     1     1     1     1     1
15   25      1   0  20    1    0   0    1    3    4    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0     0     0     0     0     0     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     0     0
16   46      1   1  22    1    1   0    1    2    3    0    1    1    1    1    1    1    1    1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1
17   28      1   0  19    1    0   0    0    7    3    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0     0     0     0     0     1     1     1     1     1     0     0     0     0     0     0     0
18   52      0   0  20    1    0   0    0    2    3    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0     0     0     0     0     0     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1
19   52      0   0  25    1    0   0    1   12    3    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0     0     0     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     0     0     0
20   52      0   0  24    0    1   0    1    1    3    0    1    1    0    0    0    0    0    1     1     1     1     1     1     0     0     0     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1
   emp26 emp27 emp28 emp29 emp30 emp31 emp32 emp33 emp34 emp35 emp36 emp37 emp38 emp39 emp40 emp41 emp42 emp43 emp44 emp45 emp46 emp47 emp48 emp49 emp50 emp51 emp52 id
1     NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA  1
2     NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA  2
3     NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA  3
4      0     0     0     0     0     0     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1  4
5      1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0  5
6      1     1     1     1     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0  6
7     NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA  7
8      0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0  8
9      0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1  9
10     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0 10
11     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1 11
12     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1 12
13     0     0     1     1     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA 13
14     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1 14
15    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA 15
16     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     0    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA 16
17     0     0     0    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA    NA 17
18     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0 18
19     0     0     0     0     0     0     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1 19
20     1     1     1     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0 20

To the Rossi.long data

> head(Rossi.long,30)
     start stop arrest.time week arrest fin age race wexp mar paro prio educ id covariate.1
1.1      0    1           0   20      1   0  27    1    0   0    1    3    3  1           0
1.2      1    2           0   20      1   0  27    1    0   0    1    3    3  1           0
1.3      2    3           0   20      1   0  27    1    0   0    1    3    3  1           0
1.4      3    4           0   20      1   0  27    1    0   0    1    3    3  1           0
1.5      4    5           0   20      1   0  27    1    0   0    1    3    3  1           0
1.6      5    6           0   20      1   0  27    1    0   0    1    3    3  1           0
1.7      6    7           0   20      1   0  27    1    0   0    1    3    3  1           0
1.8      7    8           0   20      1   0  27    1    0   0    1    3    3  1           0
1.9      8    9           0   20      1   0  27    1    0   0    1    3    3  1           0
1.10     9   10           0   20      1   0  27    1    0   0    1    3    3  1           0
1.11    10   11           0   20      1   0  27    1    0   0    1    3    3  1           0
1.12    11   12           0   20      1   0  27    1    0   0    1    3    3  1           0
1.13    12   13           0   20      1   0  27    1    0   0    1    3    3  1           0
1.14    13   14           0   20      1   0  27    1    0   0    1    3    3  1           0
1.15    14   15           0   20      1   0  27    1    0   0    1    3    3  1           0
1.16    15   16           0   20      1   0  27    1    0   0    1    3    3  1           0
1.17    16   17           0   20      1   0  27    1    0   0    1    3    3  1           0
1.18    17   18           0   20      1   0  27    1    0   0    1    3    3  1           0
1.19    18   19           0   20      1   0  27    1    0   0    1    3    3  1           0
1.20    19   20           1   20      1   0  27    1    0   0    1    3    3  1           0
2.1      0    1           0   17      1   0  18    1    0   0    1    8    4  2           0
2.2      1    2           0   17      1   0  18    1    0   0    1    8    4  2           0
2.3      2    3           0   17      1   0  18    1    0   0    1    8    4  2           0
2.4      3    4           0   17      1   0  18    1    0   0    1    8    4  2           0
2.5      4    5           0   17      1   0  18    1    0   0    1    8    4  2           0
2.6      5    6           0   17      1   0  18    1    0   0    1    8    4  2           0
2.7      6    7           0   17      1   0  18    1    0   0    1    8    4  2           0
2.8      7    8           0   17      1   0  18    1    0   0    1    8    4  2           0
2.9      8    9           0   17      1   0  18    1    0   0    1    8    4  2           0
2.10     9   10           0   17      1   0  18    1    0   0    1    8    4  2           1

Is it possible to perform this exact transformation using the reshape or any other data transformation package?

UPDATE: The Rcmdr script is runnable only within Rcmdr

Answer 1

The 'unfold' function is located here (as documented in the pdf you linked to:

http://socserv.mcmaster.ca/jfox/Books/Companion/scripts/appendix-cox.R

The script does not require Rcmdr. It would require car (which in turn loads MASS and nnet but if you have Rcmdr then you must have car) and it does load survival which is a recommended package and should be available in all installations. It runs to completion without error in R 3.0.0 beta and I strongly suspect it would have run to completion in R 2.15.x.