This should probably offer quite an increase:
library(data.table)
DT <- data.table(data.df)
DT[, c("Species", "SizeClass", "Infected")
:= as.list(strsplit(Class, "\\.")[[1]]), by=Class ]
The reasons for the increase:
data.table
pre allocates memory for columns- every column assignment in data.frame reassigns the entirety of the data (data.table in contrast does not)
- the
by
statement allows you to implement thestrsplit
task once per each unique value.
Here is a nice quick method for the whole process.
# Save the new col names as a character vector
newCols <- c("Species", "SizeClass", "Infected")
# split the string, then convert the new cols to columns
DT[, c(newCols) := as.list(strsplit(as.character(Class), "\\.")[[1]]), by=Class ]
DT[, c(newCols) := lapply(.SD, factor), .SDcols=newCols]
# remove the old column. This is instantaneous.
DT[, Class := NULL]
## Have a look:
DT[, lapply(.SD, class)]
# Time Location Replicate Population Species SizeClass Infected
# 1: integer integer integer numeric factor factor factor
DT