`between()` doesn't work if `x` is `Date` and `left` and `right` are character

[etiennebacher]

The docs of between() say:

This is a shortcut for x >= left & x <= right

However, between() doesn't work if x is Date and left and right are character, while <= and >= work:

library(dplyr, warn.conflicts = FALSE)
packageVersion("dplyr")
#> [1] '1.1.4.9000'

x <- as.Date("2010-01-02")
x >= "2010-01-01" & x <= "2010-01-04"
#> [1] TRUE

between(x, "2010-01-01", "2010-01-04")
#> Error in `between()`:
#> ! Can't combine `x` <date> and `left` <character>.

The "Details" section says:

x, left, and right are all cast to their common type before the comparison is made.

but maybe it's worth updating the first line or mention somewhere that characters and dates are not compatible?

Maybe related to r-lib/vctrs#967

[DavisVaughan]

That is expected, we can update the docs to be more precise.

Technically we use vec_compare() rather than >= and <=, but the failure does happen earlier in the vec_cast_common() bit.

I no longer think we should do that vctrs issue. I think we've mostly determined that going from <character> -> <anything> is called parsing and is not a job for vctrs' common type or casting mechanism.