I am creating a package with a 'Suggests' dependency on a second package hosted
in a drat repository on GitHub. I have listed the second package in 'Suggests'
of the DESCRIPTION file for the first package and listed the drat repository in
'Additional_repositories'. I have made all code in the vignette and examples
conditional on the availability of the second repository using
`requireNamespace`, with the `quietly` option set to TRUE, so code is skipped
if the package is built on a system that does not have the second package
loaded. This package is passing all CRAN checks on my computer and only gets a
single NOTE on win-builder about "Suggests or Enhances not in mainstream
repositories", so I'm happy with the package set-up in terms of passing checks.
My one concern is what the vignette that users who install the package from
CRAN will look like. If I build the vignette on my computer, with the second
package installed, the vignette looks as I would like it to for users, since
all the examples are run. However, if the vignette is built on a system without
the second package installed, the vignette is pretty boring since most examples
are skipped. I have a question about the CRAN submission process related to
vignette building that will help me clarify this concern.
Based on reading through "Writing R Extensions", this is what I think happens
with a vignette and its code during the CRAN submission process:
1. Before submitting the package to CRAN, the package maintainer builds and
checks the package locally. When the package is built locally, any vignettes
are built in pdf and / or html files. These files are stored in the package's
`\inst\doc` directory. This directory (`inst\doc`) is packaged with other
package elements else in the .tar.gz file. Everything in .tar.gz is sent to
CRAN.
2. When the package is sent to CRAN, CRAN tries running all of the code in the
examples and vignette. However, CRAN does not rebuild the vignette.
3. Once the package is on CRAN, CRAN regularly checks the package. To do this,
CRAN tries running all of the code in the examples and vignette. However,
again, CRAN does not rebuild the vignette. Instead, the vignette that is sent
out to users continues to be the one built by the package maintainer when he or
she first submitted the package .tar.gz to CRAN.
Have I understood this process, particularly #2, correctly? Or will CRAN
rebuild the vignette during the submission process and replace the .html or
.pdf version of the vignette that is passed to users who install the package
from CRAN?
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