[Rd] codetools really optional for R CMD check?

[Dirk Eddelbuettel]

On Wed, Jul 25, 2007 at 01:29:24PM -0700, Ross Boylan wrote:
> After upgrading to R 2.5.1 on Debian, R CMD check gives
> * checking Rd cross-references ... WARNING
> Error in .find.package(package, lib.loc) : 
> 	there is no package called 'codetools'
> Execution halted
> * checking for missing documentation entries ... WARNING
> etc
> 
> The NEWS file says (for 2.5.0; I was on 2.4 before the recent upgrade)
>     o	New recommended package 'codetools' by Luke Tierney provides
> 	code-analysis tools.  This can optionally be used by 'R CMD
> 	check' to detect problems, especially symbols which are not
> 	visible.
> 
> This sounds as if R CMD check should run OK without the package, and it
> doesn't seem to.
> 
> Have I misunderstood something, or is their a problem with R CMD check's
> handling of the case with missing codetools.
> 
> I don't have codetools installed because the Debian r-recommended
> package was missing a dependency; I see that's already been fixed
> (wow!).

Yes, there was a transition problem.  When R 2.5.0 was released, I was
unaware of the need to prepare packages for codetools and rcompgen
__early enough so that they would migrate through the NEW queue in
Debian__ and hence be available upon the day of the R release.
Otherwise a Depends is no good if it can't be fulfilled.

So yes, for a while we had an implied Depends, but nothing formal. All
this has now been rectified and installing or upgrading r-recommended
will get you the new packages as it should.

Prior to another R releases with new recommended packages, I should
either pay closer attention to the relevant subdirectory in the
sources, and hope for a friendly heads-up from R Core (hint, ...)

Dirk

-- 
Three out of two people have difficulties with fractions.