[R-pkg-devel] browseURL in examples

[Brian G. Peterson]

On 08/18/2015 05:12 AM, Berry Boessenkool wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> In the CRAN package policies [1], it says
>
> "Packages should not start external software (such as PDF viewers or
> browsers) during examples or tests unless that specific instance of
> the software is explicitly closed afterwards."
>
> If I want to refer to a website with browseURL in the examples,
> what's the most elegant way to do it?
>
> \dontrun --> obtrusive "## not run" parts, confuse new R-users
> # browseURL("www.link.html") --> user must uncomment things
>
>
> Or do you think links should only be used in Vignettes / References section?
>
> In this case, it's a reference to a statistical method,
> and yes, I slightly feel like I'm misusing the examples section.
> But I think that's where most people explore function usage...

I don't see how popping up browser windows for anything other than a 
demonstration of rendering something to HTML would ever make sense.

I think most people explore functions by typing ?functionName

Why not just put the links in the documentation for your function?



-- 
Brian G. Peterson
http://braverock.com/brian/
Ph: 773-459-4973
IM: bgpbraverock