[R-gui] further on the Rcmdr package

[John Fox]

Dear R-Gui list members,

I've posted another version of the Rcmdr package to my web site, at 
<http://www.socsci.mcmaster.ca/jfox/Misc/Rcmdr/>.

Changes include many more input-error checks and improvements to a number 
of dialogs, including e.g. the ability to specify a subsetting expression 
for models.

A partly unresolved issue is the problem raised by Dirk Eddelbuettel on 
Sunday: Dirk found that both the R session and the Commander windows locked 
up after the Rcmdr package was loaded on his Debian Linux system. Following 
Dirk's suggestion, I've added an option to Rcmdr to call tkwait until the 
Commander window is closed. Apparently this solves the problem that Dirk 
experienced, but an unfortunate consequence is that the command prompt in 
the R session is disabled until the Commander window is closed. Although 
this isn't a fatal problem -- commands can still be entered through the 
GUI, including via the log/script window -- it would be nice to be able to 
enter commands directly at the command prompt as well. I can do this when 
the call to tkwait is bypassed on Windows systems and on my Red Hat Linux 
system. Since no one else reported the problem, I assume that the package 
also works without the call to tkwait on a number of other systems.

I'd appreciate some information and advice from those more experienced with 
Tcl/Tk than I. In particular, why does the call to tkwait appear necessary 
on at least one system but not on others? Is there a better way to resolve 
the issue than to provide an option?

Another, though smaller, unresolved issue has to do with my inability to 
use the Rcmdr package (or any tcltk-based code) with R under the MDI in 
Windows. Can anyone tell me what the source of the problem is (that is, why 
dialog boxes won't stay in front of the R-GUI window)? Is it likely that 
the problem will be fixed? I actually prefer the SDI, but notice that most 
of my students like the MDI, which is the default when the Windows 
distribution of R is installed.

As usual, comments and suggestions are appreciated. I expect that I'll 
submit a version of the Rcmdr package to CRAN soon.

Thanks for your help,
  John
-----------------------------------------------------
John Fox
Department of Sociology
McMaster University
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L8S 4M4
email: jfox at mcmaster.ca
phone: 905-525-9140x23604
web: www.socsci.mcmaster.ca/jfox