[R] Add function arrow_table() as alias for Table$create()

[asfimport]

In the arrow R package, there is a function record_batch() that is an alias for RecordBatch$create(). It would be nice to have a similar friendly alias for the even more commonly used Table$create(). Obviously we can't use table() for this, but how about arrow_table()?

Reporter: Ian Cook / @ianmcook
Assignee: Nicola Crane / @thisisnic

PRs and other links:

• GitHub Pull Request #11459

_{Note: This issue was originally created as ARROW-13435. Please see the migration documentation for further details.}

[asfimport]

Ian Cook / @ianmcook:
@thisisnic  what do you think?

[asfimport]

Nicola Crane / @thisisnic:
Yeah, I think this makes a lot of sense. Even if we may have reasons to push them towards using record_batch, I think having a wrapper for Table$create would make things more consistent across the package.

[asfimport]

Neal Richardson / @nealrichardson:
The other approach would be to deprecate record_batch. For historical context, the constructor used to be called table (and there was also array), which led to annoying packageStartupMessages.

[asfimport]

Ian Cook / @ianmcook:
I prefer the approach of adding arrow_table() because in my experience, dollar signs in R code are frightening to many users—even to users with significant R experience because the tidyverse has made it so that many whole workflows can be performed in R without ever typing a dollar sign. For that reason alone I think this is worth it.

[asfimport]

Neal Richardson / @nealrichardson:
No disagreement, just pointing it out as an alternative

[asfimport]

Jonathan Keane / @jonkeane:
Issue resolved by pull request 11459
#11459