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Message-ID: <CAPPM_gSe+nGTxi2qZcM4DKW5=_SeO+z80vWb5fEkMp+iQMV5Tw@mail.gmail.com>
Date: 2017-12-06T12:45:29Z
From: Joshua Ulrich
Subject: [R-pkg-devel] Conditionally register method with generic in other package

I have a feeling I know the answer to this question, but I'm asking
with the hope that I learn something new.

Package A defines a S3 generic function, "foo()".  Package B defines a
S3 class "bar", and a foo.bar() method.  This method is not strictly
necessary for the package to function, and package A has many
dependencies.

To avoid excessive dependencies, I would like to only register
foo.bar() if package A is installed at the time package B is
installed.  If package A is installed after package B, then warn the
user when package B is loaded and/or attached, so they can re-install
A and have foo.bar() registered correctly.

I could figure out a way to do this manually, but doubt it would be
CRAN-approved.  What is the recommended way to handle this situation?
I've received one suggestion to split B into 2 packages: one without
the method, and one with.  Are there other alternatives?

Thanks,
Josh

-- 
Joshua Ulrich  |  about.me/joshuaulrich
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