[ESS] ess-help+.el

[Rodney Sparapani]

Vitalie Spinu wrote:
>>    > 2) new function 'ess-display-index' (bound to "i" in
>>    > ess-help-map). It displays nicely linked index file put
>>    > automatically in ess-help-mode with all the usual
>>    > shortcuts available; p and n have modified behavior.
>>
>> Very cool!   ... though it takes a *long* time initially for me,
>> as it indexes all the 2000 packages (or so) I have installed.
>>
> Yes, it's the R working down there.
> Is it only the first time when it takes long?
> I can cache package names if the number is higher than 200 or so.  I
> expect most users have less than 100 packages and it's not necessary
> to cache. Caching would imply that newly installed packages are not
> recognized and thus not proposed in the completion.
> 

Hi Vitalie:

I don't think it's fair to assume that.  On UNIX and Linux, we typically 
load as many of the 3000+ packages as we can.  This serves 2 purposes. 
Due to privileges, it's simplest if the sysadmin installs them all. 
Also, it highlights critical bugs in the installation.  For example, 
there is a big bug for C++ R packages on Solaris when you are using the 
Studio C/C++/Fortran compilers.  We only recognized the scope of the 
problem because we attempted to install all R packages (if any one 
cares, there is a simple work around, but it's ugly; if you can make 
your C++ source into one file; then linking will succeed).

Your idea of caching would be welcome.  Also, this would be an advantage 
of using ESS for help since there is no caching of the help with your 
browser.  Good idea!

Rodney