- Rolling release essentially accounts for quick-and-easy fixes in between heavier checked releases : Only CRAN and Bioconductor packages are added (as they are already checked), or removed (when archived).
- Rolling releases live in the
main
branch, and are automatically published from theTracking.md
file. - The version is the ISO date of the automatic publication.
- The trigger event of a new rolling release is typically a new package submission or a package being archived.
To-do list:
- Evaluate the submitted package against the scope criteria.
- Add the package to
Tracking_tbl.csv
- For new CRAN/Bioconductor packages, add a description in the relevant
section of
Tracking.md
- For new CRAN/Bioconductor packages, add a line to the
NEWS.md
file inNew packages
section for the next checked release (see template below). - For packages declined due to scope criteria, add a line to the
NEWS.md
file inDeclined submissions
section for the next checked release (see template below). - For non-CRAN/non-Bioconductor packages that fall within the scope, reply in the submission issue that the package is considered for the next checked version.
- Remove the
add-pkg
- Close the GitHub issue.
Open issues for packages that have been archived on CRAN can be found here.
When a package gets archived on CRAN, it is flagged as "Archived" in the CTVs, and does not get installed automatically with the task view anymore. When the package has been archived on CRAN for 60 days, this automatically opens an issue here with a message indicating which package is problematic.
The aim here is twofold: 1) remind the developers that their package is somehow broken, and will thus be removed also from the Tracking CTV if there is no fix; 2) document the situation here.
To-do list:
- Contact the package maintainer, from the email address documented in the package, with a simple message explaining the situation (see below), and a link to the issue here. If we get a bounce-back email (ie email not working anymore), we run a quick web search to find another email address for the maintainer.
- If there is a public repository (e.g. GitHub), also open an issue there with the same message.
- Remove the package and document the removal using the dedicated issue template, and add in the additional information the date at which the maintainer was contacted, the open issue on the package repo (if it exists) and the link to the initial thread here.
- If the package gets reinstated in CRAN, we can always add it back and add it in a rolling release.
Template for the message:
Subject: Package <
pkg
> archived on CRAN and will be removed from the Tracking CTVDear <
name
>,The package <
pkg
> has been archived on CRAN for more than 60 days, and you are listed as the maintainer. This message is to let you know that your package is currently listed in the Tracking CRAN Task View (https://cran.r-project.org/view=Tracking), but is flagged as "Archived", which means it will not get installed automatically with the CTV.We are now also removing <
pkg
> from the Tracking CTV. If the package gets reinstated on CRAN, please let us know as we will also add it back to the Tracking CTV. Details of the situation can be found here: https://github.com/cran-task-views/Tracking/issues/<XX
><
If possible: add details about the issue from CRAN, and how to fix it if it seems easy enough.
>In the meanwhile, please feel free to respond to this message or, better, to comment on the issue above.
Best, For the Tracking CTV maintainers, <
name of CTV maintainer
>
- Checked releases are thoroughly tested and complete updates, including new non-CRAN/non-Bioconductor packages, removal of packages,
- Checked releases live in the
dev
branch, and are only published when merged back tomain
. - The version is the ISO date of the automatic publication, but the Tracking CTV (automatically) indicates the date of the last checked release.
- The trigger event of a new checked release is the manual initiation of the process by one of the maintainers, ideally twice a year.
To-do list for checked releases, when full tests are to be run:
- Open a new issue to track the process (see this example).
- Publish a rolling release (see above).
- Branch out from
main
intodev
. - Check all open issues for package
submissions,
and make sure submitted packages are sorted out and included in
Tracking_tbl.csv
- Run the full tests
- Complete the
NEWS.md
file fully (see template below) - Complete and close all open issues.
- Fully update
Tracking.md
with new and removed packages. - Merge
dev
back intomain
and delete thedev
branch.
For rolling releases, drop the summary paragraph on top, and only fill in the relevant sections (packages added from CRAN/BioConductor, packages declined, packages removed because they were archived).
For checked releases, use the help of ctv_stats()
and ctv_news()
functions.
X packages were submitted this round. The Tracking CTV now lists Y tracking packages, including Z core packages: [
pkg
](CRAN URL), …J newly submitted packages:
- [
pkg
](package URL): Description ([documentation](doc URL))K packages previously submitted and now passing CRAN checks:
- [
pkg
](package URL): Description ([documentation](doc URL))L packages that did not fit the definition of a tracking package for the CTV:
- [
pkg
](CTV issue): Short explanation whyM packages that did not pass CRAN checks:
- [
pkg
](CTV issue): Short explanation whyCheck the links to the submission threads to find details for each package.
N packages removed because they were archived or did not pass CRAN checks anymore:
- [
pkg
](CTV issue): Short explanation whyCheck the links to the submission threads to find details for each package.