[Rd] install packages with missing pkg argument

[Duncan Murdoch]

On 29/07/2019 7:39 a.m., Ant F wrote:
> Dear all,
> 
> The help for `?install.packages` decribes, in the `pkg` argument
> description :
> 
>> If this is missing, a listbox of available packages is presented where
> possible in an interactive R session.
> 
> In fact running it with a missing argument triggers an error :
> 
> install.packages()
>> Error in install.packages : argument "pkgs" is missing, with no default
> 
> What however doesn't trigger an error is callinginstall.packages on a zero
> length character :
> 
> install.packages(character(0))
> 
> On my colleague's R 3.5.1 windows installation it shows the listbox of
> available packages, on my 3.6.0 installation it pauses for a couple seconds
> and doesn't do anything.
> 
> A character vector of length zero is what you get when you compute an empty
> `setdiff` or `intersection`, so it was very surprising to us to see
> something popup where we were expecting a vector of missing packages to be
> installed (or none if there was no missing package).
> 
> I believe having the function work as advertised with a proper missing
> argument, and having it do nothing silently when the argument is of length
> zero, would make more sense.
> 

The change you are requesting is listed as having been done in the NEWS 
for 3.6.0...

Duncan Murdoch