save_as_html using 'dynamic' list of ft objects

[SimpleAddress4390]

Hi. I'm trying to use the save_as_html function. The twist is that I won't know the exact names of the ft objects to pass as a list.
The examples show it works when the flextable objects are passed by name, separated by comma.
I'm using fake data below. In my production process, I have 1-N diffdf result tables, that is run in a loop against multiple datasets, so
I can't use the RMD approach to save it all. Each diffdf set of flextable results is to be saved in a specific html file.

Anybody know what I'm doing wrong?

library(flextable)

ft_1 <- flextable(mtcars)
ft_2 <- flextable(iris)

bNum <- "Batch1"

# Works
save_as_html(ft_1, ft_2, path=paste0(bNum, ".html"), title=paste("Differences Report for ", bNum))

Now I'm trying to create a list to pass.

# Fails
ftList <- list(ft_1, ft_2)
save_as_html(ftList, path=paste0(bNum, ".html"), title=paste("Differences Report for ", bNum))

The final requirement is that the list is created by finding any ft_ objects in the environment (there may be 2, there may be 20)

# Fails
ftList <- mget(ls(pattern="ft_"))
save_as_html(ftList, path=paste0(bNum, ".html"), title=paste("Differences Report for ", bNum))

[SimpleAddress4390]

This is ugly, but works. Create a text string that mimics the command.

ftList <- paste(sort(ls(pattern="ft_")), collapse=",")

codeText <- paste0("save_as_html(", ftList, ", ", "path=paste0(rootDir, 'Validation/Outputs/', TIDList[i], '.html'), ",
"title=paste('Differences Report for ', TIDList[i], 'Generated on ', format(Sys.time(), '%Y-%m-%d %H:%M')))" )

eval(parse(text=codeText))

codeText roughly translates to save_as_html(ft_1, ft_2, ft_3, etc. , path=some defined location + filename + .html,
title='Differences Report for Table1.x Generated on date+time)

I can't believe there isn't an easier way?

[davidgohel]

use argument values of function save_as_html():

a list (possibly named), each element is a flextable object. If named objects, names are used as titles. If provided, argument ... will be ignored.

See the documentation here: https://davidgohel.github.io/flextable/reference/save_as_html.html

[SimpleAddress4390]

Hi David. Sorry, I'm not explaining. The document shows providing a list of objects, or named pair list. But from the example, they are 'known' and just typed as code. I need to create a list of ft objects using ls(pattern=) because I don't know what ft objects will need to be saved as html at time of execution. I've tried list(ft1, ft2, etc.) but that doesn't work. So what is the syntax to pass a 'list' of ft objects can can be constructed and stored as a variable? ftList <- list(ls(pattern="ft")) mget? eval? I"m not an expert, I just know I'ved tried every way I can think of to do this, and all I get is a blank html page with just the title. regards

…

On Tue, Nov 11, 2025 at 8:46 PM David Gohel ***@***.***> wrote: use argument values of function save_as_html(): a list (possibly named), each element is a flextable object. If named objects, names are used as titles. If provided, argument ... will be ignored. See the documentation here: https://davidgohel.github.io/flextable/reference/save_as_html.html — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#709 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/ABWXT25CT5J5RLDBQILU3XD34IVIVAVCNFSM6AAAAACLSAE53KVHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43URDJONRXK43TNFXW4Q3PNVWWK3TUHMYTIOJTHEZDMMY> . You are receiving this because you authored the thread.Message ID: ***@***.***>

[davidgohel]

1. Store your objects in a list (or named list if you want titles)
2. call save_as_html(values = yourlist, path = ...)

Next time you submit an issue, provide a reproducible example.

[SimpleAddress4390]

Hi. I thought I did provide a reproducible example in my original post.

library(flextable)
ft_1 <- flextable(mtcars)
ft_2 <- flextable(iris)

bNum <- "Batch1"
ftList <- list(ft_1, ft_2)
save_as_html(ftList, path=paste0(bNum, ".html"), title=paste("Differences Report for ", bNum))

This doesn't work.

library(flextable)
ft_1 <- flextable(mtcars)
ft_2 <- flextable(iris)

bNum <- "Batch1"
ftList <- list(ft_1, ft_2)
save_as_html(value=ftList, path=paste0(bNum, ".html"), title=paste("Differences Report for ", bNum))

This doesn't work (for me anyway). what method of creation are you suggesting when making the "yourlist" object?

[davidgohel]

you can use https://reprex.tidyverse.org/ for reproducible examples

This doesn't work.

Because you did not used argument values but value

save_as_html(value=ftList, path=paste0(bNum, ".html"), title=paste("Differences Report for ", bNum))

USE values

save_as_html(values=ftList, path=paste0(bNum, ".html"), title=paste("Differences Report for ", bNum))

[davidgohel]

The other question is not about flextable but about R

ls(pattern="ft") |> lapply(get)

[SimpleAddress4390]

Thank you so much David. I see that 'reproducible' is more formal than I had done.

regards