string - How do I convert a deliminated file in base - R into separate columns without creating a list? -

i using following code:

write(unlist(fieldlist),"c:/temp/test.txt") temp1<-cbind(fieldlist,read.delim("c:/temp/test.txt",sep=" ",header=false))  

but slow because obliges app write data temp file on disk.

i have tried strsplit function , "qdap" library both create lists. need able manipulate columns separately

newcolumn <- substr(temp1[,5],1,1)