[Query] Inspect Argument Roles

Generated from 'wiki-query.ts' on 2026-08-25, 11:40:13 UTC (v2.14.4), please do not edit directly.

Inspect Argument Roles Query ^[overview]

Determine what functions and their formals do
This query is requested with the type inspect-fn-props.
Run in the REPL: :query @inspect-fn-props [(<crit>;...)] <code | file://path>

Per function definition this states what each formal is used for, as ArgProp bits, and what the function itself does, as CallProp bits: the very scheme flowR states its built-ins and the signature database stores its parameters with.

R hands arguments over as promises, so whether a parameter is evaluated at all is part of the answer: ArgProp::Forced says every call forces it, ArgProp::Lazy that none can, and neither of the two that it depends on the path taken, on the caller, or on a function flowR could not resolve. A function forcing every one of its parameters is CallProp::Strict in turn. A read that only hands the parameter on is decided by the function receiving it, resolved through the call graph, while a read in a nested definition, in a loop, or under a condition leaves it open.

A formal is an alias only if the function always returns it (return(x) under an if does not count), every other bit is the one the calls in the body state for what they are handed, and a formal carrying none at all is left out. A body reading its own call or frame (match.call(), nargs(), as.list(environment())) reaches every formal without naming one, so they all carry nse. What the function itself does is read off its body: what its calls do it does too, a dispatching body is a generic, and one whose result always comes from a call returning invisibly returns invisibly in turn.

With only the query infers just one half (arguments or function, skipping the other walk entirely), formals keeps the parameters written as one of the given names, and props keeps the properties named as the ArgProp/CallProp members they are.

Using the example code f <- function(x, xs, FUN, opt) { if(missing(opt)) print(length(xs)); lapply(xs, FUN); x } the following query returns what every identified function and formal does:

[ { "type": "inspect-fn-props" } ]

(This can be shortened to @inspect-fn-props when used with the REPL command :query).

Results (prettified and summarized):

Query: inspect-fn-props (5ms)
  - Function 32 (1.6-89) x: forced, alias, xs: forced, value, shape, FUN: forced, callee, opt: presence, lazy [prints]
All queries together required ≈5 ms (1ms accuracy, total 6 ms)

Show Detailed Results as Json

The analysis required 5.7 ms (including parsing and normalization and the query) within the generation environment.

In general, the JSON contains the Ids of the nodes in question as they are present in the normalized AST or the dataflow graph of flowR. Please consult the Interface wiki page for more information on how to get those.

{
  "inspect-fn-props": {
    ".meta": {
      "timing": 5
    },
    "roles": {
      "32": {
        "1": 5,
        "3": 25,
        "5": 513,
        "7": 17408
      }
    },
    "props": {
      "32": {
        "props": 0,
        "tags": [
          "prints"
        ]
      }
    }
  },
  ".meta": {
    "timing": 5
  }
}

Original Code

f <- function(x, xs, FUN, opt) { if(missing(opt)) print(length(xs)); lapply(xs, FUN); x }

Dataflow Graph of the R Code

The analysis required 2.6 ms (including parse and normalize, using the r-shell engine) within the generation environment. No signature database is mounted for these generated graphs, so library() calls attach no package exports; base-R names are still qualified via the generated base-package store (e.g. acf as stats::acf). We encountered unknown side effects (with ids: 21 (linked)) during the analysis.

flowchart LR
    32["`*#91;RFunctionDefinition#93;* **function**
      *1.6-89* (**id: 32**)`"]

subgraph "flow-32" [function 32]
    1["`*#91;RSymbol#93;* **x**
      *1.15* (**id: 1**, v: )`"]
    3["`*#91;RSymbol#93;* **xs**
      *1.18-19* (**id: 3**, v: )`"]
    5["`*#91;RSymbol#93;* **FUN**
      *1.22-24* (**id: 5**, v: )`"]
    7["`*#91;RSymbol#93;* **opt**
      *1.27-29* (**id: 7**, v: )`"]
    12(["`*#91;RSymbol#93;* **opt**
      *1.45-47* (**id: 12**)`"])
    14[["`*#91;RFunctionCall#93;* base#58;#58;**missing**
      *1.37-48* (**id: 14**)
    arg: (12)`"]]
    built-in:missing["`Built-In:
missing`"]
    style built-in:missing stroke:gray,fill:gray,stroke-width:2px,opacity:.8;
    17(["`*#91;RSymbol#93;* **xs**
      *1.64-65* (**id: 17**)`"])
    19[["`*#91;RFunctionCall#93;* base#58;#58;**length**
      *1.57-66* (**id: 19**, 23+)
    arg: (17)`"]]
    built-in:length["`Built-In:
length`"]
    style built-in:length stroke:gray,fill:gray,stroke-width:2px,opacity:.8;
    21[["`*#91;RFunctionCall#93;* base#58;#58;**print**
      *1.51-67* (**id: 21**, 23+)
    arg: (19)`"]]
    built-in:print["`Built-In:
print`"]
    style built-in:print stroke:gray,fill:gray,stroke-width:2px,opacity:.8;
    23[["`*#91;RIfThenElse#93;* base#58;#58;**if**
      *1.34-67* (**id: 23**)
    arg: (14, 21, #91;empty#93;)`"]]
    built-in:if["`Built-In:
if`"]
    style built-in:if stroke:gray,fill:gray,stroke-width:2px,opacity:.8;
    25(["`*#91;RSymbol#93;* **xs**
      *1.77-78* (**id: 25**)`"])
    %% Environment of 27 [level: 1]:
    %% Built-in
    %% 1----------------------------------------
    %% 2----------------------------------------
    %%   x:   {**x** (id: 1, type: Parameter, def. @2)}
    %%   xs:  {**xs** (id: 3, type: Parameter, def. @4)}
    %%   FUN: {**FUN** (id: 5, type: Parameter, def. @6)}
    %%   opt: {**opt** (id: 7, type: Parameter, def. @8)}
    27[["`*#91;RSymbol#93;* **FUN**
      *1.81-83* (**id: 27**)
    arg: (25)`"]]
    29[["`*#91;RFunctionCall#93;* base#58;#58;**lapply**
      *1.70-84* (**id: 29**)
    arg: (25, 27)`"]]
    built-in:lapply["`Built-In:
lapply`"]
    style built-in:lapply stroke:gray,fill:gray,stroke-width:2px,opacity:.8;
    30(["`*#91;RSymbol#93;* **x**
      *1.87* (**id: 30**)`"])
    31[["`*#91;RExpressionList#93;* base#58;#58;**#123;**
      *1.32* (**id: 31**)
    arg: (23, 29, 30)`"]]
    built-in:_["`Built-In:
#123;`"]
    style built-in:_ stroke:gray,fill:gray,stroke-width:2px,opacity:.8;
    style 23 stroke:purple,stroke-width:4px; 
    style 14 stroke:purple,stroke-width:4px; 
    style 19 stroke:purple,stroke-width:4px; 
    style 21 stroke:purple,stroke-width:4px; 
    style 29 stroke:purple,stroke-width:4px; 
    style 31 stroke:purple,stroke-width:4px; 
end
    0["`*#91;RSymbol#93;* **f**
      *1.1* (**id: 0**, v: 32)`"]
    33[["`*#91;RBinaryOp#93;* base#58;#58;**#60;#45;**
      *1.1-89* (**id: 33**)
    arg: (0, 32)`"]]
    built-in:_-["`Built-In:
#60;#45;`"]
    style built-in:_- stroke:gray,fill:gray,stroke-width:2px,opacity:.8;
    1 -.->|"flow"| 3
    linkStyle 0 stroke:gray,color:gray;
    3 -.->|"flow"| 5
    linkStyle 1 stroke:gray,color:gray;
    5 -.->|"flow"| 7
    linkStyle 2 stroke:gray,color:gray;
    7 -.->|"flow"| 12
    linkStyle 3 stroke:gray,color:gray;
    12 -->|"reads"| 7
    12 -.->|"flow"| 14
    linkStyle 5 stroke:gray,color:gray;
    14 -->|"reads, arg"| 12
    14 -.->|"branch (when: true)"| 17
    linkStyle 7 stroke:gray,color:gray;
    14 -.->|"branch (when: false)"| 23
    linkStyle 8 stroke:gray,color:gray;
    14 -.->|"reads, calls"| built-in:missing
    linkStyle 9 stroke:gray;
    17 -->|"reads"| 3
    17 -.->|"flow"| 19
    linkStyle 11 stroke:gray,color:gray;
    19 -->|"reads, arg"| 17
    19 -.->|"reads, calls"| built-in:length
    linkStyle 13 stroke:gray;
    19 -.->|"flow"| 21
    linkStyle 14 stroke:gray,color:gray;
    21 -->|"reads, returns, arg"| 19
    21 -.->|"reads, calls"| built-in:print
    linkStyle 16 stroke:gray;
    21 -.->|"flow"| 23
    linkStyle 17 stroke:gray,color:gray;
    23 -->|"returns, arg"| 21
    23 -->|"reads, arg"| 14
    23 -.->|"reads, calls"| built-in:if
    linkStyle 20 stroke:gray;
    23 -.->|"flow"| 25
    linkStyle 21 stroke:gray,color:gray;
    25 -->|"reads"| 3
    25 -.->|"flow"| 27
    linkStyle 23 stroke:gray,color:gray;
    27 -->|"reads"| 5
    27 -.->|"flow"| 29
    linkStyle 25 stroke:gray,color:gray;
    27 -->|"arg"| 25
    29 -->|"arg"| 25
    29 -->|"reads, arg"| 27
    29 -.->|"reads, calls"| built-in:lapply
    linkStyle 29 stroke:gray;
    29 -.->|"flow"| 30
    linkStyle 30 stroke:gray,color:gray;
    30 -->|"reads"| 1
    30 -.->|"flow"| 31
    linkStyle 32 stroke:gray,color:gray;
    31 -->|"arg"| 23
    31 -->|"arg"| 29
    31 -->|"returns, arg"| 30
    31 -.->|"reads, calls"| built-in:_
    linkStyle 36 stroke:gray;
32 -.-|function| flow-32

    32 -.->|"flow"| 0
    linkStyle 38 stroke:gray,color:gray;
    0 -->|"defined-by, flow"| 33
    0 -->|"defined-by"| 32
    33 -->|"reads, arg"| 32
    33 -->|"returns, arg"| 0
    33 -.->|"reads, calls"| built-in:_-
    linkStyle 43 stroke:gray;

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This query also supports a slicing criterion based query mode that only returns information for functions matching the given criteria:

[
  {
    "type": "inspect-fn-props",
    "filter": [
      "1@function"
    ]
  }
]

(This can be shortened to @inspect-fn-props (1@function) "f <- function(x, xs, FUN, opt) { if(missing(opt)) print(length(xs)); lapply(xs, FUN); x }" when used with the REPL command :query).

Results (prettified and summarized):

Query: inspect-fn-props (2ms)
  - Function 32 (1.6-89) x: forced, alias, xs: forced, value, shape, FUN: forced, callee, opt: presence, lazy [prints]
All queries together required ≈2 ms (1ms accuracy, total 3 ms)

Show Detailed Results as Json

The analysis required 3.0 ms (including parsing and normalization and the query) within the generation environment.

In general, the JSON contains the Ids of the nodes in question as they are present in the normalized AST or the dataflow graph of flowR. Please consult the Interface wiki page for more information on how to get those.

{
  "inspect-fn-props": {
    ".meta": {
      "timing": 2
    },
    "roles": {
      "32": {
        "1": 5,
        "3": 25,
        "5": 513,
        "7": 17408
      }
    },
    "props": {
      "32": {
        "props": 0,
        "tags": [
          "prints"
        ]
      }
    }
  },
  ".meta": {
    "timing": 2
  }
}

Original Code

f <- function(x, xs, FUN, opt) { if(missing(opt)) print(length(xs)); lapply(xs, FUN); x }

Dataflow Graph of the R Code

The analysis required 4.0 ms (including parse and normalize, using the r-shell engine) within the generation environment. No signature database is mounted for these generated graphs, so library() calls attach no package exports; base-R names are still qualified via the generated base-package store (e.g. acf as stats::acf). We encountered unknown side effects (with ids: 21 (linked)) during the analysis.

flowchart LR
    32["`*#91;RFunctionDefinition#93;* **function**
      *1.6-89* (**id: 32**)`"]

subgraph "flow-32" [function 32]
    1["`*#91;RSymbol#93;* **x**
      *1.15* (**id: 1**, v: )`"]
    3["`*#91;RSymbol#93;* **xs**
      *1.18-19* (**id: 3**, v: )`"]
    5["`*#91;RSymbol#93;* **FUN**
      *1.22-24* (**id: 5**, v: )`"]
    7["`*#91;RSymbol#93;* **opt**
      *1.27-29* (**id: 7**, v: )`"]
    12(["`*#91;RSymbol#93;* **opt**
      *1.45-47* (**id: 12**)`"])
    14[["`*#91;RFunctionCall#93;* base#58;#58;**missing**
      *1.37-48* (**id: 14**)
    arg: (12)`"]]
    built-in:missing["`Built-In:
missing`"]
    style built-in:missing stroke:gray,fill:gray,stroke-width:2px,opacity:.8;
    17(["`*#91;RSymbol#93;* **xs**
      *1.64-65* (**id: 17**)`"])
    19[["`*#91;RFunctionCall#93;* base#58;#58;**length**
      *1.57-66* (**id: 19**, 23+)
    arg: (17)`"]]
    built-in:length["`Built-In:
length`"]
    style built-in:length stroke:gray,fill:gray,stroke-width:2px,opacity:.8;
    21[["`*#91;RFunctionCall#93;* base#58;#58;**print**
      *1.51-67* (**id: 21**, 23+)
    arg: (19)`"]]
    built-in:print["`Built-In:
print`"]
    style built-in:print stroke:gray,fill:gray,stroke-width:2px,opacity:.8;
    23[["`*#91;RIfThenElse#93;* base#58;#58;**if**
      *1.34-67* (**id: 23**)
    arg: (14, 21, #91;empty#93;)`"]]
    built-in:if["`Built-In:
if`"]
    style built-in:if stroke:gray,fill:gray,stroke-width:2px,opacity:.8;
    25(["`*#91;RSymbol#93;* **xs**
      *1.77-78* (**id: 25**)`"])
    %% Environment of 27 [level: 1]:
    %% Built-in
    %% 1----------------------------------------
    %% 2----------------------------------------
    %%   x:   {**x** (id: 1, type: Parameter, def. @2)}
    %%   xs:  {**xs** (id: 3, type: Parameter, def. @4)}
    %%   FUN: {**FUN** (id: 5, type: Parameter, def. @6)}
    %%   opt: {**opt** (id: 7, type: Parameter, def. @8)}
    27[["`*#91;RSymbol#93;* **FUN**
      *1.81-83* (**id: 27**)
    arg: (25)`"]]
    29[["`*#91;RFunctionCall#93;* base#58;#58;**lapply**
      *1.70-84* (**id: 29**)
    arg: (25, 27)`"]]
    built-in:lapply["`Built-In:
lapply`"]
    style built-in:lapply stroke:gray,fill:gray,stroke-width:2px,opacity:.8;
    30(["`*#91;RSymbol#93;* **x**
      *1.87* (**id: 30**)`"])
    31[["`*#91;RExpressionList#93;* base#58;#58;**#123;**
      *1.32* (**id: 31**)
    arg: (23, 29, 30)`"]]
    built-in:_["`Built-In:
#123;`"]
    style built-in:_ stroke:gray,fill:gray,stroke-width:2px,opacity:.8;
    style 23 stroke:purple,stroke-width:4px; 
    style 14 stroke:purple,stroke-width:4px; 
    style 19 stroke:purple,stroke-width:4px; 
    style 21 stroke:purple,stroke-width:4px; 
    style 29 stroke:purple,stroke-width:4px; 
    style 31 stroke:purple,stroke-width:4px; 
end
    0["`*#91;RSymbol#93;* **f**
      *1.1* (**id: 0**, v: 32)`"]
    33[["`*#91;RBinaryOp#93;* base#58;#58;**#60;#45;**
      *1.1-89* (**id: 33**)
    arg: (0, 32)`"]]
    built-in:_-["`Built-In:
#60;#45;`"]
    style built-in:_- stroke:gray,fill:gray,stroke-width:2px,opacity:.8;
    1 -.->|"flow"| 3
    linkStyle 0 stroke:gray,color:gray;
    3 -.->|"flow"| 5
    linkStyle 1 stroke:gray,color:gray;
    5 -.->|"flow"| 7
    linkStyle 2 stroke:gray,color:gray;
    7 -.->|"flow"| 12
    linkStyle 3 stroke:gray,color:gray;
    12 -->|"reads"| 7
    12 -.->|"flow"| 14
    linkStyle 5 stroke:gray,color:gray;
    14 -->|"reads, arg"| 12
    14 -.->|"branch (when: true)"| 17
    linkStyle 7 stroke:gray,color:gray;
    14 -.->|"branch (when: false)"| 23
    linkStyle 8 stroke:gray,color:gray;
    14 -.->|"reads, calls"| built-in:missing
    linkStyle 9 stroke:gray;
    17 -->|"reads"| 3
    17 -.->|"flow"| 19
    linkStyle 11 stroke:gray,color:gray;
    19 -->|"reads, arg"| 17
    19 -.->|"reads, calls"| built-in:length
    linkStyle 13 stroke:gray;
    19 -.->|"flow"| 21
    linkStyle 14 stroke:gray,color:gray;
    21 -->|"reads, returns, arg"| 19
    21 -.->|"reads, calls"| built-in:print
    linkStyle 16 stroke:gray;
    21 -.->|"flow"| 23
    linkStyle 17 stroke:gray,color:gray;
    23 -->|"returns, arg"| 21
    23 -->|"reads, arg"| 14
    23 -.->|"reads, calls"| built-in:if
    linkStyle 20 stroke:gray;
    23 -.->|"flow"| 25
    linkStyle 21 stroke:gray,color:gray;
    25 -->|"reads"| 3
    25 -.->|"flow"| 27
    linkStyle 23 stroke:gray,color:gray;
    27 -->|"reads"| 5
    27 -.->|"flow"| 29
    linkStyle 25 stroke:gray,color:gray;
    27 -->|"arg"| 25
    29 -->|"arg"| 25
    29 -->|"reads, arg"| 27
    29 -.->|"reads, calls"| built-in:lapply
    linkStyle 29 stroke:gray;
    29 -.->|"flow"| 30
    linkStyle 30 stroke:gray,color:gray;
    30 -->|"reads"| 1
    30 -.->|"flow"| 31
    linkStyle 32 stroke:gray,color:gray;
    31 -->|"arg"| 23
    31 -->|"arg"| 29
    31 -->|"returns, arg"| 30
    31 -.->|"reads, calls"| built-in:_
    linkStyle 36 stroke:gray;
32 -.-|function| flow-32

    32 -.->|"flow"| 0
    linkStyle 38 stroke:gray,color:gray;
    0 -->|"defined-by, flow"| 33
    0 -->|"defined-by"| 32
    33 -->|"reads, arg"| 32
    33 -->|"returns, arg"| 0
    33 -.->|"reads, calls"| built-in:_-
    linkStyle 43 stroke:gray;

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Implementation Details

Responsible for the execution of the Inspect Argument Roles Query query is executeFnPropsQuery in ./src/queries/catalog/inspect-fn-props-query/inspect-fn-props-query-executor.ts.