[R] modifying code in contributed libraries - changes from versions 1.* to 2.*

[Uwe Ligges]

Brian S Cade wrote:
> Having finally updated from R 1.91 to R 2.2.0 with my installation of a 
> new computer, I discovered that something has changed drastically about 
> the way code for contributed packages is stored when installed in a local 
> version of R.  In the 1.* versions it was easy for me to go in and modify 
> some of the code for a contributed package by using a text editor to 
> change the script files (these were the files usually stored under the 
> package name\R folder).  Now under R 2.2 when I look at the same location 
> (package name\R folder) there are 3 files, one with no extension, one with 
> .rdb extension, and one with a .rdx extension and none of these seem to be 
> text files that can be easily edited (at least not as I did before).  Now 
> I know I can edit a specific function after I've loaded a package into a 
> specific workspace, but I would like to edit the contributed package so 
> that anytime I load it the changes I've made are implemented.  While I'm 
> not generally in the habit of modifying other peoples code, when I find a 
> problem that I know how to fix, I'ld like to fix it - once.  I suspect I'm 
> missing something pretty obvious about how to edit these but my search of 
> the online documentation, etc. didn't suggest any simple approach like I 
> use to do.  Any help would be welcome.


Due to lazy loading (see a corresponding R News article) code is stored 
in databases for some time now, if you are looking into binary packages.

In order to modify/fix something, download the source version of a 
package, change the code, and INSTALL the source package.

Uwe Ligges


> Brian
> 
> Brian S. Cade
> 
> U. S. Geological Survey
> Fort Collins Science Center
> 2150 Centre Ave., Bldg. C
> Fort Collins, CO  80526-8818
> 
> email:  brian_cade at usgs.gov
> tel:  970 226-9326
> 	[[alternative HTML version deleted]]
> 
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