[Rd] Package dependencies and imports

Martin Maechler maechler at stat.math.ethz.ch
Fri Sep 22 10:00:43 CEST 2006


>>>>> "Seth" == Seth Falcon <sfalcon at fhcrc.org>
>>>>>     on Thu, 21 Sep 2006 10:33:06 -0700 writes:

    Seth> Martin Maechler <maechler at stat.math.ethz.ch> writes:
    >>  I think you should use the new DESCRIPTION field and say
    >> 'Enhances: rgl'
    >> 
    >> but I haven't checked if this prevents the warning,
    >> though I think it should..

    Seth> But is Rcmdr enhancing rgl or being enhanced by rgl?

    Seth> :-( :-(

I think this distinction is not so easily made on a general level.
I'd say an argument for how you can (should?) think about this
is the following abstraction:

 There are two packages, A and B. 
 A's DESCRIPTION has 'Enhances: B'.
 When B is there, A provides extra features.
 In one sense, this always enhances B ("enhance" in the usual
 English meaning), since B's area of application has been
 enlarged by code in A.

Martin




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