[Rd] How to prepare/submit packages with external dependency?

[Simon Urbanek]

Andrew,

On Aug 4, 2006, at 4:49 PM, Andrew Finley wrote:

> I'd like to submit a new package that ports some code which uses  
> the boost c++ library (i.e., an external dependency).  I have  
> written a linux/unix configure file as described in the Witting R  
> Extensions but don't know enough about windows to write a windows  
> configure/makefile.
>

The Makefile/Makevars should be essentially the same for WIndows and  
unix, because Windows build uses GNU make and gcc as well. In most  
cases the only difference is that you put the Windows settings  
directly in Makevars.win instead of using autoconf to create Makevars  
from Makevars.in.
The usual procedure for external libraries is to use an environment  
variable to specify where the library lives on Windows at build time.  
configure.win is sometimes used to copy the dependent DLL into  
package's libs directory such that package can be provided in a stand- 
alone binary form. Another alternative is to use static library  
instead. You may want to look at other packages on CRAN that use  
external libraries.
I can't really give you any more specific tips, because you didn't  
even tell us what package you are talking about.

Cheers,
Simon