From Martin Maechler <maechler@stat.math.ethz.ch>  Mon Sep  8 16:56:15 1997
From: Martin Maechler <maechler@stat.math.ethz.ch> (Martin Maechler)
Date: Mon, 8 Sep 1997 17:56:15 +0200
Subject: R-alpha: naming convention for index files
In-Reply-To: <199709071523.RAA22168@aragorn.ci.tuwien.ac.at> (message from
 Kurt Hornik on Sun, 7 Sep 1997 17:23:47 +0200)
Message-ID: <199709081556.RAA01060@sophie.ethz.ch>


    KH> In the process of moving to the new directory structure, we might also
    KH> reconsider the naming of the various index files.

    KH> A simple idea would be to have an `INDEX' file in each directory where
    KH> this is appropriate.  E.g., we could have

    KH> pkg/funs/INDEX		(rather than help/pkg/INDEX)

but  help/base/INDEX  is autogenerated
where as everything in ./funs/  (or /R/  as you propose later)  is  SOURCE

    KH> pkg/data/INDEX		(rather than index.doc)
index.doc is source

    KH> pkg/help/INDEX		(rather than AnIndex)
this is auto-generated again...

--
in summary, we could well say   INDEX  instead of different names,
but I don't think we should  autogenerate a file in a directory
where there's only source  (other than the 'Makefile'; Lib... files that
			    configure generates, and which are not needed
			    anymore after installation)

Remember: 

	The big idea is still that after

		make install + install-help + ..
			(just after all the installation)

	you should be able to
	REMOVE the full  ./src/  tree and still have a completely 
	working R (including online help, ...).


    KH> or e.g.

    KH> pkg/INDEX.funs
    KH> pkg/INDEX.data

    KH> etc.

    KH> The package TITLE files would be used for building the package index of
    KH> a library tree (LibIndex?)

very good idea

    KH> In any case, the `plain' indices to be displayed upon calling an
    KH> appropriate form of help() could contain MORE than simply a list of
    KH> things.  I.e., more like a README.

    KH> My idea is (assuming only RHOME is in .lib.loc):

    KH> library()

    KH> `RHOME' is the location of the default R library tree.
    KH> Blah blah blah ...

    KH> Packages in `RHOME':

    KH> base		The basic package.
    KH> eda		...
    KH> mva		...

    KH> The last lines could be generated from the packages' TITLE files.  The
    KH> other info from some stub, perhaps LibIndex.in?

very good idea

    KH> As usual, any feedback is appreciated.

as usual, I give you some ... ;-)

Martin
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R-alpha: naming convention for index files
Martin Maechler