[R-sig-Debian] build dependencies was Re: [R] problem with rgl package

[G. Jay Kerns]

Dirk,

Thanks for the prompt response.


2009/5/7 Dirk Eddelbuettel <edd at debian.org>:
> I do that by setting the group mode of /usr/local/lib/R/site-library to, say,
> 'staff' and 'group-write mode' (numeric 0775).  I also share that
> /usr/local/lib/R tree over NFS at work across a few machines.
>
> As an aside, this point is orthogonal to the OP having problems compiling
> something by hand that exists pre-compiled.

Yes, you are right.

>
> | 2) the list of supported packages in Synaptic is long enough to be
> | *too long* to remember, but short enough that it doesn't have many of
> | the packages I regularly use.  Rather than try to keep track of CRAN
> | vs Synaptic, it is easier to just use CRAN and forget about it.
>
> Synaptic is just one of many interfaces to the packaging system. At the end
> of the day, both 20,000 Debian packages and 1,700 CRAN packages are hard to
> search nomatter what you do.
>
> Debian has several front-end, a system called 'tags' and intelligent
> searching.  I personally still mostly do 'apt-cache search foo' and some
> grepping.  Also, my personal favourite is 'wajig' which calles out to dpkg,
> apt-get, aptitude, ... as needed and provides a single interface.
>

I haven't tried any of the above, but they look pretty cool.


>
> Good point!  Patches welcome. Vincent and Michael read this list too so maybe
> that is something we can take off-list for some constructive work?
>
> | Under  "ADMINISTRATION AND MAINTENANCE OF R PACKAGES", how about something like:
> |
> | "Installing R packages not provided with Ubuntu first requires tools
> | to compile the packages from source. *For the majority of R packages
> | these* tools may be installed via the R development package with
> |
> |    sudo apt-get install r-base-dev
> |
> | Please note, however, that some packages may require tools not
> | contained in r-base-dev, and the user must find and install these on
> | an individual basis.  But in the case that R package 'foo' is
> | supported (with an Ubuntu package r-cran-foo), then the following will
> | identify and install such dependencies:
> |
> |   sudo apt-get build-dep r-cran-foo"
>
> Not bad, but if 'apt-get install r-cran-foo' works, why do we need to explain
> how to re-compile it ?

Yes, and it looks like Johannes' version is better than mine.


> | and not the other way around.  For people like me, this would be
> | great.
>
> Generally speaking, there are too many little tips and tricks so there is
> always scope to do better, learn more, teach more, ...

Definitely true.

Thanks again!
Jay