packagename:::functionname vs. importFrom

Correct. ?I'm doing this because of non-exported functions in other packages,
so I need :::

But you really really shouldn't be doing that.  Is there a reason that
the package authors won't export the functions?

I'd still appreciate any insight about whether importFrom in NAMESPACE
defers package loading so that if the package is not actually used (and is
not installed) there will be no problem.

Imported packages need to be installed - but it's the import vs.
suggests vs. depends statement in DESCRIPTION that controls this
behaviour, not the namespace.

Hadley

Assistant Professor / Dobelman Family Junior Chair
Department of Statistics / Rice University
http://had.co.nz/