[R-pkg-devel] Compiled code should not call non-API entry points in R

[Florian Rupprecht]

When a public C interface is missing you could always load and call the R
interface.

Definitely slower, but the API will be more stable than when vendoring (and
CRAN will be happier).

Best,
Florian



On Fri, Nov 4, 2022, 02:10 Andrew Simmons <akwsimmo using gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi everyone,
>
>
> I had some R code for dealing with connections, and I was using
> summary.connection(). I rewrote it in C, so I was doing something more
> like:
>
> #include <R_ext/Connections.h>
>
> Rconnection Rcon = R_GetConnection(file);
> Rcon->description or Rcon->class
>
> but now, when checking my package, I get the following note:
>
> * checking compiled code ... NOTE
> File 'this.path/libs/x64/this.path.dll':
>   Found non-API call to R: 'R_GetConnection'
>
> Compiled code should not call non-API entry points in R.
>
> See 'Writing portable packages' in the 'Writing R Extensions' manual.
>
> This isn't surprising, <R_ext/Connections.h> (seen here:
>
> https://github.com/wch/r-source/blob/50ff41b742a1ac655314be5e25897a12d3096661/src/include/R_ext/Connections.h#L21
> )
> says that it is not part of the R API, and later on says that it is
> subject to change without notice or backwards compatibility.
>
> R_GetConnection was added in R 3.3.0, so I added "Depends: R (>=
> 3.3.0)" to my DESCRIPTION, then I added something like this to my
> header:
>
> #if !defined(R_CONNECTIONS_VERSION)
>     #error why is R_CONNECTIONS_VERSION not defined????
> #elif R_CONNECTIONS_VERSION == 1
>     extern Rconnection R_GetConnection(SEXP sConn);
> #else
>     #error this.path is only implemented for R_CONNECTIONS_VERSION 1
> #endif
>
> but the NOTE still remains. I think I've taken all the precautions I
> can, is there anything more I can do? Will I be unable to submit the
> update for my package? Will the CRAN team ignore the NOTE if I explain
> the precautions I added?
>
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