[Rd] Runnable R packages

[Ben Bolker]

  remotes has fewer dependencies.  I believe that the current version of
devtools just re-exports install_github etc. from the remotes package.

On 2019-02-02 11:31 a.m., David Lindelof wrote:
> I see some value in Duncan’s proposal to implement this as an extra package
> instead of a change to base R, if only to see if the idea has legs. I’m
> minded to do so myself using your suggestion, but is there a particular
> reason why you recommend using the remotes package instead of devtools? The
> latter seems to have the same functions I would need, and I believe it is
> more widely installed that remotes?
> 
> Kind regards,
> 
> From: Duncan Murdoch <murdoch.duncan using gmail.com> <murdoch.duncan using gmail.com>
> Reply: Duncan Murdoch <murdoch.duncan using gmail.com> <murdoch.duncan using gmail.com>
> Date: 2 February 2019 at 15:37:16
> To: Barry Rowlingson <b.rowlingson using lancaster.ac.uk>
> <b.rowlingson using lancaster.ac.uk>, Abs Spurdle <spurdle.a using gmail.com>
> <spurdle.a using gmail.com>
> Cc: r-devel <r-devel using r-project.org> <r-devel using r-project.org>
> Subject:  Re: [Rd] Runnable R packages
> 
> On 02/02/2019 8:27 a.m., Barry Rowlingson wrote:
>> I don't think anyone denies that you *could* make an EXE to do all
>> that. The discussion is on *how easy* it should be to create a single
>> file that contains an initial "main" function plus a set of bundled
>> code (potentially as a package) and which when run will install its
>> package code (which is contained in itself, its not in a repo),
>> install dependencies, and run the main() function.
>>
>> Now, I could build a self-executable shar file that bundled a package
>> together with a script to do all the above. But if there was a "RUN"
>> command in R, and a convention that a function called "foo::main"
>> would be run by `R CMD RUN foo_1.1.1.tar.gz` then it would be so much
>> easier to develop and test.
> 
> I don't believe the "so much easier" argument that this requires a
> change to base R. If you put that functionality into a package, then
> the only extra effort the user would require is to install that other
> package. After that, they could run
> 
> Rscript -e "yourpackage::run_main('foo_1.1.1.tar.gz')"
> 
> as I suggested before. This is no harder than running
> 
> R CMD RUN foo_1.1.1.tar.gz
> 
> The advantage of this from R Core's perspective is that you would be
> developing and maintaining "yourpackage", you wouldn't be passing the
> burden on to them. The advantage from your perspective is that you
> could work with whatever packages you liked. The "remotes" package has
> almost everything you need so that "yourpackage" could be nearly
> trivial. You wouldn't need to duplicate it within base R.
> 
> Duncan Murdoch
> 
>>
>> If people think this adds value, then if they want to offer that value
>> to me as $ or £, I'd consider writing it if their total value was more
>> than my cost....
>>
>> Barry
>>
>>
>> On Sat, Feb 2, 2019 at 12:54 AM Abs Spurdle <spurdle.a using gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> Further to my previous post,
>>> it would be possible to create an .exe file, say:
>>>
>>> my_r_application.exe
>>>
>>> That starts R, loads your R package(s), calls the R function of your
> choice
>>> and does whatever else you want.
>>>
>>> However, I don't think that it would add much value.
>>> But feel free to correct me if you think that I'm wrong.
>>>
>>> [[alternative HTML version deleted]]
>>>
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> 
> David Lindelöf, Ph.D.
> +41 (0)79 415 66 41 <//415 66 41> or skype:david.lindelof
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