[Rd] More than one package document with the same name

[Dan Tenenbaum]

----- Original Message -----
> From: "John McKown" <john.archie.mckown at gmail.com>
> To: "Jerry Davison" <jdavison at fhcrc.org>
> Cc: r-devel at r-project.org
> Sent: Tuesday, August 5, 2014 5:10:28 PM
> Subject: Re: [Rd] More than one package document with the same name
> 
> On Tue, Aug 5, 2014 at 5:47 PM, Davison, Jerry <jdavison at fhcrc.org>
> wrote:
> > Hi,
> >
> > I sent this to the Bioconductor mailing list (q.v.), replies
> > recommended this forum. Here it is:
> > A suggestion. Typically a package provides documentation of two
> > types, one or more vignettes and a reference manual; and they have
> > the same file name, PackageName.pdf.  When downloaded some file
> > name manipulation is required, or accept PackageName(1).pdf.
> >
> > I suggest the documents be given different names, for example the
> > reference manual could be named PackageNameRefMan.pdf. Package
> > checking could enforce the rule.
> > Jerry
> >
> 
> Sounds like you want to put all the pdf files in a single directory.


Actually I think the issue (and Jerry can correct me if I'm wrong) is that sometimes users want to download the documentation for a package from the package landing page on Bioconductor or CRAN (without installing the package). If both files are called pkg.pdf, then your web browser wants to rename the second one to (e.g.) pkg(1).pdf (different browsers handle this differently). 
Also, the two names on their own don't give you a clue as to which file is which.

My own suggestion would be that the manual be renamed to pkg-manual.pdf. That places no restrictions on vignette file names and makes it clear which file is the manual.

Dan


> I
> like that too. I cheat. I run Linux. I have a ~/Documents/R-pdfs in
> which I keep "symlinks" to all the pdf files. And I do it similar to
> the way that you indicate. I make the name of the pdf be
> ${enclosing_directory}_${original_pdf_name.pdf}. I do something like:
> 
> cd ~/Documents/R-pdf
> find /usr/lib64/R -name '*.pdf'|\
> while read i;do
>   file=${i##*/};
>   dir=${i%%/doc/*.pdf};
>   package=${dir##*/};
>   ln -s "$i" "${package}_${file}";
> done
> 
> Above won't work if anything has a blank in it. Windows people tend
> to
> do this. Most UNIX people are better trained.
> 
> It would be nice if the packagers did this. But the above works for
> me. On Linux and other UNIX like systems. Won't work for the poor,
> benighted Windows people. But I think something similar is possible.
> But I don't know Windows well enough.
> 
> Maranatha! <><
> John McKown
> 
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