R-devel (87913) compilation fails at "make vignettes"; R-4-4 completes and fails "make check"

Am 09.03.25 um 18:15 schrieb Avraham Adler:

Hello.

I recently built a new computer and I am now using Windows 11. When
building a distribution of R-devel from source using the most recent
Rtools44, the build consistently fails at the point it is supposed to
build the vignettes from base with the message below. R-4-4-branch
(also 87913) completes without error but fails "make check".

R-devel Error:
```
* DONE (mgcv)
building/updating vignettes for package 'grid' ...
processing 'displaylist.Rnw'
make[2]: *** [Makefile.win:99: vignettes] Error 1
make[1]: *** [Makefile:345: vignettes] Error 2
make: *** [Makefile:395: distribution] Error 2
```
Looking at Makefile.win in .src/library at line 99 shows:

```
vignettes:
@for pkg in grid parallel utils stats; do \
     $(ECHO) "building/updating vignettes for package '$${pkg}' ..."; \
     ($(ECHO) "tools:::.install_package_vignettes(\"$(srcdir)/$${pkg}\",
\"$(top_builddir)/library/$${pkg}\")") | \
         R_DEFAULT_PACKAGES="utils,tools" LC_ALL=C \
   R_LIBS_USER=NULL R_LIBS_SITE=NULL \
           $(R_EXE) > /dev/null || exit 1; \

The '|| exit 1' only exists since r87822: previously, failures from
building the base vignettes would be missed.

done
@rm -Rf .vignettes
```

While R-4-4 completes "make distribution" compilation, it fails make check with:

```
Testing examples for package 'tools'
   comparing 'tools-Ex.Rout' to 'tools-Ex.Rout.save' ... NOTE
   1062,1063d1061
   < Warning in file(con, "r") :
   <   file("") only supports open = "w+" and open = "w+b": using the former
   1066,1067c1064,1065
   <  $ file    : chr ""
   <  $ title   : chr ""
   ---

   >  $ file    : chr "grid.Rnw"
   >  $ title   : chr "Introduction to grid"

This output diff from the example in ?tools::vignetteInfo shows that
your R-4-4 installation indeed lacks base vignettes. Maybe pdflatex
isn't installed or in the PATH on your new system?

Testing examples for package 'utils'
Error: running examples in 'utils-Ex.R' failed
Error: testing 'utils' failed
Execution halted
make[3]: *** [Makefile.win:29: test-Examples-Base] Error 1
make[2]: *** [Makefile.common:208: test-Examples] Error 2
make[1]: *** [Makefile.common:193: test-all-basics] Error 1
make: *** [Makefile:333: check-devel] Error 2
```

There should be a file utils-Ex.Rout.fail (I think in tests/Examples/).
What does it say about the error?

Hope this helps!

        Sebastian Meyer

Some initial research indicated that permission issues can interfere
with vignette building. I have set Rtools44 to run as an administrator
and I confirmed that my build directory and all its subdirectories are
allowed full control by the logged-in windows account.

The only major difference between these sets of runs and those over
the last decade is the chip (Ryzen 9800X3D), which for vignettes
should be irrelevant, and the operating system?Windows 11 Pro instead
of Windows 10 Home. I don't know which change from R-4-4 to R-devel
triggers the error or why R-4-4 completes and fails the check. I have
exhausted my limited knowledge as to how to address the issue. Any
ideas as to why this may be happening and what I could do would be
greatly appreciated.

For completeness:

R VERSION AND TOOLS
R-devel version: 87913
R-4-4-branch:     87913
Rtools version: 6459

HARDWARE
Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D 8-Core Processor
Installed RAM :192 GB (190 GB usable)
System type 64-bit operating system, x64-based processor

OPERATING SYSTEM
Edition Windows 11 Pro
Version 24H2
Installed on ?3/?7/?2025
OS build 26100.3194
Experience Windows Feature Experience Pack 1000.26100.48.0

Thank you,

Avi