Hi,
* Dirk Eddelbuettel <edd at debian.org> [090507 18:00]:
Howdy,
On 7 May 2009 at 11:28, G. Jay Kerns wrote:
| Dear R-SIG-Debian,
| Is there any way to include some form of this information on the
| README page of the Ubuntu section on CRAN? Here's how it reads
right
| now, under "ADMINISTRATION AND MAINTENANCE OF R PACKAGES":
|
| "Installing R packages not provided with Ubuntu first requires
tools
| to compile the packages from source. These tools are installed
via the
| R development package with
|
| sudo apt-get install r-base-dev"
|
|
|
| The above is, of course, true, but not the whole story. In
| particular, for a supported R package like rgl there are additional
| tools needed to build it, which are not in r-base-dev, but which
can
| be obtained with "sudo apt-get build-dep r-cran-rgl". Perhaps
there
| are other (supported) packages that require tools which aren't in
| r-base-dev.
In the Debian README, it currently says:
You only need r-base-dev if you want to compile R packages yourself
or other
software depending on R (see section below on administration and
maintenance).
So I am thinking to add the following:
"Be aware that you may also have to install additional build
dependencies
(typically -dev packages containing headers). The list r-sig-debian
is a
good place to ask if you run into problems. If you are using these
backports from CRAN, and just want to update a package r-cran-foo that
is part of Debian, you can get the build dependencies by
apt-get build-dep r-cran-foo"
How does that sound? Improvements welcome.
Johannes
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 ?
| I am sure that there are other people who could say what I am
trying
| to say in a much better and more accurate way. I would invite and
| welcome improvements. I could imagine a similar statement or
| reference in SUPPORTED PACKAGES.
|
|
| Some may rightly argue that those experienced with Ubuntu will
already
| know about "sudo apt-get build-dep" and it does not need to be
posted
| on CRAN Ubuntu README. But I was introduced to Ubuntu by way of R,
| 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, ...
| >
| > We do _a lot of work_ for R on Debian/Ubuntu. Use it, you even
have a
| > money-back guarantee. And ...
|
|
| Yes... I myself appreciate very much all of the hard work by Dirk,
| Doug, Vincent, and Michael, all. Both off-list administration and
| on-list troubleshooting. Thank you.
Always a pleasure, especially when we see that it actually helps
other
people.
Dirk
|
|
| Best,
| Jay
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ***************************************************
| G. Jay Kerns, Ph.D.
| Associate Professor
| Department of Mathematics & Statistics
| Youngstown State University
| Youngstown, OH 44555-0002 USA
| Office: 1035 Cushwa Hall
| Phone: (330) 941-3310 Office (voice mail)
| -3302 Department
| -3170 FAX
| E-mail: gkerns at ysu.edu
| http://www.cc.ysu.edu/~gjkerns/
--
Three out of two people have difficulties with fractions.