[Rd] Portability and Memory Issues for R-package

[KNygren@us.imshealth.com]

Not getting users was one of my main concern.  So let me make sure I understand the suggestions correctly.

A. I should check if the GSL routines I make use of are part of Brian's binary build.  If not, I should look into having the required routines added to that build (going through Robin (or perhaps Brian?)). 

B. If the required routines are included in the binary build for the GSL package, I can then link my package to the gsl packages and it should work fine on windows for any user who has done the installation of the gsl package. I take it the binary build also eliminates the need for each user to do the manual handling required to build on windows?  

Kjell Nygren      

-----Original Message-----
From: Duncan Murdoch [mailto:murdoch at stats.uwo.ca]
Sent: Tuesday, December 27, 2005 4:58 PM
To: Nygren, Kjell (Union Meeting)
Cc: r-devel at r-project.org
Subject: Re: [Rd] Portability and Memory Issues for R-package


On 12/27/2005 3:44 PM, KNygren at us.imshealth.com wrote:
> My guess is that the key step for a user to be able to use my package still would be to install the gsl library first so it can be accessed during the build. I am not sure if Robin has a set of instructions for platform specific installation of his package (which would likely include the pre-installation of the gsl library).

This is not necessary on Windows, where most users install binary builds 
of packages, because Brian Ripley has done the work to put together a 
binary build that includes the necessary GSL routines.  I would expect 
that if you require users to install GSL and compile your package 
themselves, you'll get almost no Windows users.  I don't know what is 
involved in installing the package on other platforms.

Duncan Murdoch

> I may follow up with him in regards to this and to see if it makes sense to link to his library. I will also look into the possibility of adding a configure script (as per Jan's suggestion). I know that the use of the gsl library is not ideal, and may eventually try to replace the gsl dependent code, perhaps by making use of the R matrix package (though I don't know if it has all the features I am currently using).    
> 
> 
> Kjell Nygren 
>  
> 
>>I. Portability-
>>
>>Since I make extensive use of the gsl library in my C code, I have the gsl library installed (within the MinGw directory so it is included in the path) on my local machine. Within the package, I am then including a Makevars file with the following code in order to link to the gsl library:
>>
>>PKG_LIBS=-lgsl -lgslcblas
>>
>>I also know that there is an R package (gsl) making use of some gsl functions which contains a Makevars.win file with the following code:
> 
> 
> This package requires manual handling to build for Windows, and probably 
> for some other platforms if they don't come with gsl by default.
> 
> My recommendation would be to work with its author (Robin Hankin, see 
> the DESCRIPTION file for contact information) to add whatever functions 
> are not already there, and then just make your package depend on the R 
> package, rather than on the GSL library directly.
> 
> This will mean that all the manual work that has been done to get gsl to 
> build will not need to be repeated by anyone who wants to install your 
> package.
> 
> Duncan Murdoch
> 
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