[R-pkg-devel] Wrapping a third-party c++ library

[Dirk Eddelbuettel]

hi Sean,

On 23 August 2016 at 09:13, Sean Davis wrote:
| I am trying to wrap a third-party toolkit that provides a C++ API.  The code is open source and includes a license that allows me to include it directly in an R package.  Right now, I am happy if I can get ANY build (linux, windows, or Mac) working.  The rough build process looks like that given here (starting at the highlighted line):
| 
| https://github.com/seandavi/SRA2R/blob/master/inst/docker/install_ngs_sdk.sh#L22
| 
| Unfortunately, these configure scripts are not standard autoconfig flavor, so they seem pretty fragile (even with a —prefix, they try to install stuff into system libraries).  My goal is to include the source of the two partner libraries and build shared libraries in the R installation hierarchy.  I simply do not have enough experience using configure scripts to know how to translate what I have noted above into something that would be expected to get the installation right in the r package directory and allow linking.
| 
| Any concrete suggestions about how to move this forward are much appreciated.

Local shared libraries is hard(est). I would not start there.

System shared libraries is easy (just ask all the database packages, graphics
formats packages etc pp) -- but you then push the burden onto your users to
actually *have* these system libraries.  Not easy with "obscure" science stuff.

Middle ground: _static_ library in your package.  Tweak and bend the required
libraries til they cooperate, then adjust.  This has been done since time
immortal, see eg the Matrix package and its several subdirectories.  Still
not trivial, but doable.

Easiest 'dirty' solution: throw all source files into your package's src/ and
hope for the best.  Works for small packages. 

Long story short: for something complicated like this, maybe a Docker
container is the best you can do :-/ 

Dirk

-- 
http://dirk.eddelbuettel.com | @eddelbuettel | edd at debian.org