Re: [R-pkg-devel] [EXTERNAL] Usage of internet resources in examples

[Hong Ooi via R-package-devel]

I set \dontrun{} on (most of) the examples in my Azure-related packages, for 
this very reason. They assume the user has an Azure subscription, and in any 
case, you don't want to be running code that could potentially cost lots of 
money just for kicks. The packages in question are basically all those on CRAN 
that start with "Azure".

I cleared this with Uwe Ligges some time back; although whenever I submit a new 
package, I tend to get emails from whoever did the review that \donttest() 
should be removed. I've been able to resolve this by replying and cc'ing Uwe, 
mentioning that it was approved previously.


-----Original Message-----
From: R-package-devel <r-package-devel-boun...@r-project.org> On Behalf Of Andy 
Teucher
Sent: Wednesday, 21 October 2020 7:29 AM
To: r-package-devel@r-project.org
Subject: [EXTERNAL] [R-pkg-devel] Usage of internet resources in examples

Our package bcdata 
(https://nam06.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcran.r-project.org%2Fpackage%3Dbcdata&amp;data=04%7C01%7Chongooi%40microsoft.com%7C3a5d0a6f36074ebfde8408d87536d145%7C72f988bf86f141af91ab2d7cd011db47%7C1%7C0%7C637388226515752313%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&amp;sdata=xxnnjkhi%2B40WOm6S9VBrAB8M4IPePX0MrvN3oosqYnA%3D&amp;reserved=0)
 retrieves public data from British Columbia data services, so the examples are 
dependent on successfully hitting web resources. When we initially submitted to 
CRAN the examples were wrapped in \dontrun{}, but we were asked to change them 
to use \donttest{}.

 
Now, CRAN is running checks with _R_CHECK_DONTTEST_EXAMPLES_=true, and one of 
the examples has failed due to a changed web resource. I got an email asking me 
to fix it and reminding me of the CRAN policy:
 

  'Packages which use Internet resources should fail gracefully with an 
informative message

 if the resource is not available or has changed (and not give a check warning 
nor error).'

  This needs correction whether or not the resource recovers.

 
I would prefer that in normal use, the function calling the internet resources 
fails with an error so that the user is properly alerted. I also agree that 
these failures shouldn't cause a check error. To demonstrate the use of these 
functions in examples, is there a preferred method of ensuring that failures 
will not cause a check warning or error? Should I try to revert back to using 
\dontrun{} and plead my case? Wrap in `if interactive())`?
 

Thanks very much,

Andy Teucher

 
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