[R] bug in dev.copy2pdf output?

[Rolf Turner]

On 29/07/11 19:57, Martin Maechler wrote:

<SNIP>
> but *also* see the  *workaround* for the bug that has been on
> R's   ?pdf  help page  for  years  [!!!!]
> -->  search for "q" (including the quotes).
>
> Why oh why oh why ... are people always thinkg of bugs in R
>      when they notice something and
> why oh why oh why do they then "google around" instead of just
> once carefully read the help pages that we have been writing
> with much diligence, and have constantly been keeping current
> ... aarrgghh.... {mentally tearing at my few remaining hairs ..}

Might I ***ever so humbly*** suggest that some sort of
(brief) cross reference to the note in the pdf help be placed
in the help for dev.copy2pdf?

It's all very well to say RTFM, but when one is dealing with
"clyde" one tends to read TFM for "clyde" and not TFM for
"melvin" with which one is not dealing.  In this case "melvin"
is ``obviously'' (**) related to "clyde" and therefore one might
reasonably conjecture that there may be some useful insight
into one's problems given in the help for "melvin".  But then
there might be useful insight available in a lot of places, such
as the dark side of the moon.  Where does one start if one
doesn't really understand WTF is going in the first place?

     cheers,

         Rolf Turner

(**) NOTHING is ever obvious unless you already know it.