added comments

Example code that turns the human readable markdown (.md file) into a machine suitable csv file.

example_csv_maker.R

@@ -2,8 +2,11 @@
 # by David Hood @thoughtfulnz on Twitter
 
 library(dplyr)
+# dplyr is a R helper library for structuring the processing of data
 library(tidyr)
+# tidyr is a R helper library for data restructuring
 
+# Broad plan:
 # read in the lines as 1 line per observation in a vairable
 # ID entries by the ``` between them
 # split the observations by the colon
@@ -12,12 +15,22 @@ library(tidyr)
 # use the column of headings as common headings and the details underneath the headings
 # save as csv
 
+# Specific steps
+# read in the markdown file as the first column of a data frame (tabular data block)
 data.frame(rawlines = readLines("dataexamples.md"), stringsAsFactors = FALSE) %>%
+# cumulatively count the entries based on the lines containing ```
   mutate(entry= cumsum(as.numeric(trimws(rawlines) == "```"))) %>%
+# split the text on the basis of the first column
   separate(rawlines, into=c("first", "second"), sep=":", extra="merge", fill = "right") %>%
+# remove the entries which don't have two parts (so had no colon)
   filter(!is.na(second)) %>%
+# remove excess whitespace
   mutate(heading = trimws(first), details = trimws(second)) %>%
+# keep the entry number and the trimmed data
   select(entry, heading, details) %>%
+# make the entries in the column of headings actual column headings
   spread(heading, details) %>%
+# don't need the entry numbers anymore
   select(-entry) %>%
+# save as cav file
   write.csv(file = "dataexamples_as_csv.csv", row.names = FALSE)