[R] R CMD build creates tar file instead of tar.gz file

[Ian Schiller]

Thanks for your prompt answer Mr. Ripley.  It appears the version of tar I'm using is exactly the same as the one included in the latest Rtools.  I noticed that the Rtools/bin directory was not first in path, so I corrected this.  However, I'm still not able to create a tar.gz file with the R CMD build command.   Then my question would be the following.  If I submit my package to CRAN do you know if it needs to be tar.gz or will a tar file be accepted?

Thanks again

Ian    

******************************************************************************************************************************
IAN SCHILLER, M.Sc.

Statistical research assistant, 
Division of Clinical Epidemiology, McGill University Health Center
Assistant de recherche en statistiques,
Département d'Épidémiologie Clinique, Centre Universitaire de Santé Mcgill

Tel: 514 934 1934 ext. 36925
Email: ian.schiller at clinepi.mcgill.ca


-----Original Message-----
From: Duncan Murdoch [mailto:murdoch.duncan at gmail.com] 
Sent: Thursday, March 24, 2011 10:57 AM
To: Ian Schiller
Cc: r-help at r-project.org
Subject: Re: [R] R CMD build creates tar file instead of tar.gz file

On 24/03/2011 10:36 AM, Ian Schiller wrote:
> Dear all,
>
> I'm trying to create my own package by following for instance http://epub.ub.uni-muenchen.de/6175/2/tr036.pdf  In step 6 (page 19) it says that the command 'R CMD build<mypackage>' should result in a tar.gz file.  However, after running the command I end up with a tar file only (no gz extension).  I also get the following warnings in the command prompt
>
> C:\Program Files\R\R-2.12.2\src>R CMD build HSROC
> * checking for file 'HSROC/DESCRIPTION' ... OK
> * preparing 'HSROC':
> * checking DESCRIPTION meta-information ... OK
> cygwin warning:
>    MS-DOS style path detected: C:/Program Files/R/R-2.12.2/src/HSROC_1.0.0.tar
>    Preferred POSIX equivalent is: /cygdrive/c/Program Files/R/R-2.12.2/src/HSROC_
> 1.0.0.tar
>    CYGWIN environment variable option "nodosfilewarning" turns off this warning.

I think that might mean you are running the wrong version of tar.  Did 
you put the Rtools/bin directory first in your path?  What does

tar --version

give?  The current Rtools version says

tar (GNU tar) 1.21
Copyright (C) 2008 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later 
<http://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>
This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it.
There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.

Written by John Gilmore and Jay Fenlason.

but Cygwin is distributing a newer one.

I do see some oddities with build in 2.12.2 in Windows 7:  on my first 
attempt,  I got all sorts of errors, e.g.

* checking for file 'ellipse/DESCRIPTION' ... OK
* preparing 'ellipse':
* checking DESCRIPTION meta-information ... OK
/cygdrive/c/Rtools/bin/tar: ellipse/.svn/prop-base: file changed as we 
read it
/cygdrive/c/Rtools/bin/tar: ellipse/.svn/text-base: file changed as we 
read it
/cygdrive/c/Rtools/bin/tar: ellipse/.svn/tmp: file changed as we read it
/cygdrive/c/Rtools/bin/tar: ellipse/.svn: file changed as we read it
/cygdrive/c/Rtools/bin/tar: ellipse/chm: file changed as we read it
...

but on the second attempt it was fine.  This may be an interaction with 
a virus checker; that's often a problem on Windows.

Duncan Murdoch


>    Consult the user's guide for more details about POSIX paths:
>      http://cygwin.com/cygwin-ug-net/using.html#using-pathnames
> cygwin warning:
>    MS-DOS style path detected: C:/Program Files/R/R-2.12.2/src/HSROC_1.0.0.tar
>    Preferred POSIX equivalent is: /cygdrive/c/Program Files/R/R-2.12.2/src/HSROC_
> 1.0.0.tar
>    CYGWIN environment variable option "nodosfilewarning" turns off this warning.
>    Consult the user's guide for more details about POSIX paths:
>      http://cygwin.com/cygwin-ug-net/using.html#using-pathnames
> * checking for LF line-endings in source and make files
> * checking for empty or unneeded directories
> * building 'HSROC_1.0.0.tar.gz'
> cygwin warning:
>    MS-DOS style path detected: C:/Program Files/R/R-2.12.2/src/HSROC_1.0.0.tar
>    Preferred POSIX equivalent is: /cygdrive/c/Program Files/R/R-2.12.2/src/HSROC_
> 1.0.0.tar
>    CYGWIN environment variable option "nodosfilewarning" turns off this warning.
>    Consult the user's guide for more details about POSIX paths:
>      http://cygwin.com/cygwin-ug-net/using.html#using-pathnames
> cygwin warning:
>    MS-DOS style path detected: C:/Program Files/R/R-2.12.2/src/HSROC_1.0.0.tar
>    Preferred POSIX equivalent is: /cygdrive/c/Program Files/R/R-2.12.2/src/HSROC_
> 1.0.0.tar
>    CYGWIN environment variable option "nodosfilewarning" turns off this warning.
>    Consult the user's guide for more details about POSIX paths:
>      http://cygwin.com/cygwin-ug-net/using.html#using-pathnames
>
>
> I have installed R-2.12.2 which should be the latest version.  I also have the latest version of Rtools (Rtools212.exe).  My operating system is Windows XP professional x64 edition if it can help.  Any clues on how to solve this issue would be appreciated.
>
> Ian
>
> ******************************************************************************************************************************
> IAN SCHILLER, M.Sc.
>
> Statistical research assistant,
> Division of Clinical Epidemiology, McGill University Health Center
> Assistant de recherche en statistiques,
> Département d'Épidémiologie Clinique, Centre Universitaire de Santé Mcgill
>
> Tel: 514 934 1934 ext. 36925
> Email: ian.schiller at clinepi.mcgill.ca
>
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