[ESS] Debian installation bug report with current package and Emacs 28.1

[Brett Presnell]

Hi Dirk.  I'm not sure if this helps to answer your question, but I've
been using the MELPA version of ESS for quite a long time with a
snapshot of the development version of emacs (currently 29.0.58) and it
(mostly) works for me.  This is on Ubuntu 20.04

I have the following in my dot.emacs-equivalent file to fix a problem
with fontification (colors) that I think has been discussed on the ESS
list.  I don't think that this has been fixed yet, but I could be wrong.
More importantly, I think that it only pops up with the development
version of emacs (29.0.xx).

(defun my-inferior-ess-init ()
  (setq-local ansi-color-for-comint-mode 'filter))
(add-hook 'inferior-ess-mode-hook 'my-inferior-ess-init))

I also have an annoying problem with C-l in *R* process buffers: if the
cursor is at the active R prompt, it will move the prompt to the center
and to the top of the buffer window, but it does not take it to the
bottom (usually it would cycle between those 3 positions instead of just
2).  However, I think that this has something to do with my particular
setup.  (It's funny how much I took this feature for granted until it
stopped working.)

Anyway, to sum up, I would guess that whatever is in MELPA would work,
modulo the startup message about package cl being deprecated.

I hope that helps, or at least that I didn't completely misinterpret
your question.  I wouldn't use a Debian package for something I could
get on ELPA or MELPA anyway, but purists may be anti-MELPA (???) and I
guess ESS isn't on ELPA, so ...

Brett

P.S. ESS is such an important part of the Emacs eco-system, it should be
integrated into Emacs, but I suppose there are many reasons why this
won't happen in our lifetimes.



Dirk Eddelbuettel via ESS-help <ess-help using r-project.org> writes:

> [External Email]
>
> Hi all,
>
> I just got a fresh (and detailed) bug reports at
>
>    https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fbugs.debian.org%2F1017829&data=05%7C01%7Cpresnell%40ufl.edu%7C4a393aabb41449891ba808da8380efbf%7C0d4da0f84a314d76ace60a62331e1b84%7C0%7C0%7C637966887070132698%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=A75sYZ7%2FXLXcV3sBGBQAIlyaoWe498GyenjL0krHmjk%3D&reserved=0
>
> which details issue with the package I look after ("frozen" at the last
> official release) and the current emacs-gtk 28.1.
>
> I find myself between a rock and a hard place here. I would prefer an updated
> release, but of course as discussed here before "that ain't easy" and while I
> could switch to a melpa tarball I am a little worried I may then get side
> effects from the less tested combinations of what melpa has (and needs) and
> what may be in Debian to satisfy those dependencies.  Thoughts?
>
> Best,  Dirk