[Bioc-devel] R cmd check time limits for BioConductor

[Kevin R. Coombes]

Hi,

I have considered that possibility, but am not yet convinced that it is 
the best approach. I will, of course, do something like that if I cannot 
persuade this list that an alternative approach might be better. The 
basic argument is:

* Complex algorithms can be better maintained if they are accompanied by 
regression testing.
* "R CMD check" provides an automated method to run regression tests, 
with a defined directory structure for storing those tests.
* Changing the directory location in the source makes running the 
regression tests more awkward and thus less likely to occur on a regular 
basis.
* The "--no-tests" argument already provides a mechanism for preventing 
the tests from being run.

What appears to be missing is either a mechanism to designate the tests 
as optional or to indicate a preference for not running some or all of 
them. I can think of three ways to accomplish my goals in this matter:

[1] Make "--no-tests" the default way to run "R CMD check" at 
BioConductor. (Of course, this is unlikely to be the optimal solution 
since it merely avoids the question.)
[2] Add a field to the DESCRIPTION file that tells "R CMD check" whether 
or not to run the tests. Something like
	Tests: run
or
	Tests: dontrun
[3] Add an optional special file in the tests directory that indicates 
the complexity/length of the tests that would allow "R CMD check" to 
decide whether or not to run them. Perhaps something like

###################
# COMPLEXITY file

test1.R: long
test2.R: short
...
###################

Of course, options [2] or [3] require changes to "R CMD check" (for 
which I should eventually move this discussion to the R-devel list), but 
I am really only interested in convincing BioConductor that (possibly 
complex) regression tests are a good thing, and should be encouraged by 
adopting something like [1].

Best,
	Kevin

Laurent Gautier wrote:
> 2008/6/10 Kevin R. Coombes <krcoombes at mdacc.tmc.edu>:
>> Hi,
>>
>> The BioConductor package guidelines say that a package should take less than
>> five minutes to run "R CMD check". I have a package that is almost ready to
>> submit; however, it currently includes nontrivial regression testing in the
>> "tests" subdirectory. With the tests, the time for "R CMD check" could be
>> significantly longer than five minutes. Without the tests, the package
>> easily fits within the time limit.
>>
>> [1] I know that I can run "R CMD check --no-tests [PKG]" to prevent the
>> tests from running when I check the code myself. Is there any way for a
>> package submitted to BioConductor to indicate that the tests should be
>> skipped?
>>
>> [2] Alternatively, is there an easy way to include the tests so that I can
>> run them whenever I want to make sure I haven't broken the code (too badly
>> ...), but not force everyone else to run them when checking the rest of the
>> structure of the code and documentation?
> 
> You could consider having them in your package, in a directory
> inst/tests/ for example
> (so the tests are still available from an installed package).
> 
>> Thanks in advance,
>>    Kevin
>>
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