How to Remove All Objects From Your R Workspace Except One

When working in R, you might find your workspace filled with lots of objects. Sometimes, you want to clear everything except for one specific object. In this blog, we’ll show you how to remove all objects from your R workspace except for the one you want to keep, so you can keep your workspace neat and organized.

Table of contents:

• Different Methods to Remove All Objects
  • Method 1: Using `setdiff()` with `rm()`
  • Method 2: Using ‘ls()’ and ‘rm()’ in a Loop
  • Method 3: Manually Remove Objects
  • Method 4: Using ‘gc()’ for Garbage Collection
• Conclusion
• FAQ’s

Different Methods to Remove All Objects

Method 1: Using `setdiff()` with `rm()`

This is a very straightforward method. It’s simple, effective, and works for most cases. Let us understand with an example.

Example: Remove every object except ‘a’.

rm(list = setdiff(ls(), "a"))

Output:

Explanation:

The ‘ls()’ function lists all the objects currently in your workspace. The ‘setdiff()’ function then returns every value except `a`, from the list of all objects. Finally, the ‘rm()’ function removes all the other objects, leaving only the one you want to keep.

Method 2: Using ‘ls()’ and ‘rm()’ in a Loop

This method involves using a loop to go through all objects in the workspace and selectively remove those that are not in a specified list of objects to keep.

Example:

# Create example objects
a <- 1
b <- 2
c <- 3

# List of objects you want to keep

objects_to_keep <- c("a")

# Remove all other objects

for (obj in ls()) {
  if (!(obj %in% objects_to_keep)) {
    rm(list = obj)
  }
}

# Check remaining objects
ls()  # Only 'a' will be left

Output:

Explanation:

This method will look through all objects with `ls()`.If an object is not in the list `objects_to_keep`, it gets removed.

Method 3: Manually Remove Objects

For small datasets, or if you prefer a quick solution, you can manually remove the objects you don’t need expect the one you want.

Example:

# Create some example objects
a <- 10
b <- 20
c <- 30

# Print the list of objects before removal
print(ls())  # Shows 'a', 'b', 'c'

# Remove objects b and c
rm(b, c)

# Print the list of objects after removal
print(ls())  # Shows only 'a'

Output:

Explanation:

You simply removed the objects ‘b’ and ‘c’, so it returned the ‘a’ as the remaining object.

Method 4: Using ‘gc()’ for Garbage Collection

While this method doesn’t directly remove specific objects, it helps clean up memory by removing unused objects.

Example:

# Create some example objects

a <- 10

b <- 20

c <- 30

# Print the list of objects before garbage collection

print(ls())  # Shows 'a', 'b', 'c'

# Run garbage collection to clean up memory

gc()

# Print the memory status after garbage collection

print("Garbage collection completed.")

# Optionally, print the list of objects again

print(ls())  # Will still show 'a', 'b', 'c' because gc() doesn't remove objects

Output:

Explanation:

‘gc()’ frees up memory by cleaning up unused resources in your environment. However, it

Conclusion

Now, you have got a clear idea on how you can remove all objects from your R workspace except one simple with these methods. Whether you’re working with large datasets or organizing your R environment, this trick saves you time and helps you stay organized. If you want to become a Python expert, you should refer to our advanced R Programming Course.

FAQ’s