[Rd] [R] incoherent conversions from/to raw

[Wacek Kusnierczyk]

Martin Maechler wrote:

(...)

>     WK> which shows that raw won't coerce to the four first types in the
>     WK> 'hierarchy' (excluding NULL), but it will to character, list, and
>     WK> expression.
>
>     WK> suggestion:   improve the documentation, or adapt the implementation to
>     WK> a more coherent design.
>
> Thank you, Wacek.
>
> I've decided to adapt the implementation
> such that all the above  c(<raw> , <type>)  calls' implicit
> coercions will work.
>   

great!

>
>     WK> (2)
>     WK> incidentally, there's a bug somewhere there related to the condition
>     WK> system and printing:
>
>     WK> tryCatch(stop(), error=function(e) print(e))
>     WK> # works just fine
>
>     WK> tryCatch(stop(), error=function(e) sprintf('%s', e))
>     WK> # *** caught segfault ***
>     WK> # address (nil), cause 'memory not mapped'
>
>     WK> # Traceback:
>     WK> # 1: sprintf("%s", e)
>     WK> # 2: value[[3]](cond)
>     WK> # 3: tryCatchOne(expr, names, parentenv, handlers[[1]])
>     WK> # 4: tryCatchList(expr, classes, parentenv, handlers)
>     WK> # 5: tryCatch(stop(), error = function(e) sprintf("%s", e))
>
>     WK> # Possible actions:
>     WK> # 1: abort (with core dump, if enabled)
>     WK> # 2: normal R exit
>     WK> # 3: exit R without saving workspace
>     WK> # 4: exit R saving workspace
>     WK> # Selection:
>  
>     WK> interestingly, it is possible to stay in the session by typing ^C.  the
>     WK> session seems to work, but if the tryCatch above is tried once again, a
>     WK> segfault causes r to crash immediately:
>
>     WK> # ^C
>     WK> tryCatch(stop(), error=function(e) sprintf('%s', e))
>     WK> # [whoever at wherever] $
>
>     WK> however, this doesn't happen if some other code is evaluated first:
>
>     WK> # ^C
>     WK> x = 1:10^8
>     WK> tryCatch(stop(), error=function(e) sprintf('%s', e))
>     WK> # Error in sprintf("%s", e) : 'getEncChar' must be called on a CHARSXP
>   
>     WK> this can't be a feature.  (tried in both 2.8.0 and r-devel;  version
>     WK> info at the bottom.)
>
>     WK> suggestion:  trace down and fix the bug.
>
> [not me, at least not now.]
>   

sure;  i might try to find the bug in spare time, but can't promise.

>
>     WK> (3)
>     WK> the error argument to tryCatch is used in two examples in ?tryCatch, but
>     WK> it is not explained anywhere in the help page.  one can guess that the
>     WK> argument name corresponds to the class of conditions the handler will
>     WK> handle, but it would be helpful to have this stated explicitly.  the
>     WK> help page simply says:
>
>     WK> "
>     WK> If a condition is signaled while evaluating 'expr' then
>     WK> established handlers are checked, starting with the most recently
>     WK> established ones, for one matching the class of the condition.
>     WK> When several handlers are supplied in a single 'tryCatch' then the
>     WK> first one is considered more recent than the second. 
>     WK> "
>
>     WK> which is uninformative in this respect -- what does 'one matching the
>     WK> class' mean?
>
>     WK> suggestion:  improve the documentation.
>
> Patches to  tryCatch.Rd  are gladly accepted
> and quite possibly applied to the sources without much changes.
>   

ok, if you're willing to accept my suggestions i can try to suggest a
patch to the rd.


> Thanks in advance!
>   

you're welcome.

best,
vQ