[Rd] Fields used by available.packages

[Kurt Hornik]

>>>>> Lluís Revilla writes:

> Yes, I think that would be enough. 

Thanks.  And of course add documentation ...

Will try to get this in in the next few days.

Best
-k

> Thank you, Kurt!


> Lluís

> On Wed, 12 Jun 2024 at 16:35, Kurt Hornik <Kurt.Hornik using wu.ac.at> wrote:

>>>>>> Lluís Revilla writes:
   
>     Lluis,
   
>     So in available.packages() I could replace
   
>         if (is.null(fields))
>             fields <- requiredFields
>         else {
>             stopifnot(is.character(fields))
>             fields <- unique(c(requiredFields, fields))
>         }
   
>     by someting like
   
>         if(is.null(fields))
>             fields <- getOption("available_packages_fields")
>         if(is.null(fields))
>             fields <- requiredFields
>         else {
>             stopifnot(is.character(fields))
>             fields <- unique(c(requiredFields, fields))
>         }
   
>     ?
   
>     Best
>     -k

>> Hi all,
>> I have recently been researching how available.packages and
>> install.packages filter packages from repositories with additional
>     fields
>> in their PACKAGES file.
   
>> Currently there are some default filters, but users (and R admins) can
>     set
>> up their own filters by passing a list to the fields argument or adding
>> them to the "available_packages_filters" option.
>> But if the fields used by the filters are not read by default, then
>     users
>> must manually add the required fields to each call to
>     available.packages.
   
>> This makes it difficult to use new fields and to control what is
>     installed
>> in highly regulated systems which want to use more fields to select
>     what is
>> installed.
   
>> Current workarounds considered are:
>>   1) The filtering function requiring new fields intercepts the call to
>> available.packages and adds the desired fields via eval in
>> parent.environment and then adds the filters again.
>>   2) Import new data (remote or local) when filtering packages, merge
>     them
>> and filter accordingly.
>>   3) Suggestions?
   
>> The first solution is complicated, while the second doesn't use the R
>> machinery of tools::write_PACKAGES to set up the repository with all
>     the
>> fields (although how to add more fields to the repository file is a
>> different issue).
   
>> Would it be possible to add a new option to add fields to be read by
>> available.packages, similar to filters?
>> The same approach for fields as for filters would avoid the two
>     workarounds
>> mentioned. To match it, the new option could be named
>> "available_packages_fields".
   
>> I look forward to hearing from you,
   
>> Lluís
   
>>        [[alternative HTML version deleted]]
   
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