Re: pkglint and R packages

[Brook Milligan <brook%nmsu.edu@localhost>]

> On Aug 2, 2019, at 1:09 PM, Roland Illig <roland.illig%gmx.de@localhost> wrote:
> 
> Yep, it does. I'll wait until the discussion calms down, and then I'll
> implement it in pkglint. I don't expect it to be much work since almost
> all ingredients are already there, just waiting to be put together.

OK.  I'm looking at how R packages handle the URL in the DESCRIPTION file, which would potentially be useful as a HOMEPAGE.  Here are some observations:

- Some packages do not use the URL field at all.

- Some packages define a single URL with this field.

- Some packages include a list of URLs in this field.

- The default HOMEPAGE that packages use points to a page on CRAN that has all the information in the DESCRIPTION file, including any URLs, the LICENSE, etc.

We have a few options for defining HOMEPAGE for R packages:

- Use the default always.  This is the most consistent, and provides direct access to the information used to create the package.  All other information is linked from that page.

- Use what is listed in URL if there is only one (i.e., not a list) and the default otherwise.  When available, this gives slightly more direct access to whatever URL is given at the expense of bypassing all the information that directly describes the package.

- Use handcrafted URLs.  I dislike this option because it makes updating really tedious.

Does anyone have any thoughts regarding which of these options (or another) is best to follow?

Cheers,
Brook