Package pulled from CRAN

[jaburgoyne]

This package was pulled from CRAN a few days ago: https://cran.csiro.au/web/packages/spotifyr/index.html

I'm no expert in the wrinkles of CRAN package checks, but from a superficial glance, it doesn't seem to be a serious error. Is it possible to fix this, or is the new recommendation to install from Github?

[antaldaniel]

@pmcharrison @JosiahParry Unfortunately the main problem is that the Spotify API documentation (and potentially the API itself) went through several changes, so a very large part of the documentation needs to be checked, URLs refreshed, but also read carefully if the functions still do what they were intended to do. I can work on this from 1 November, but perhaps can assign a postdoc from my team to start doing it. However, it requires many dozen changes in the documentation, so I took it into several issues. I do not want to start a branch because there is no project page on this main repo, but I would suggest that you check out small issues, or even write to yourselfs, and immediately send pull requests when done, to avoid duplication of work or conflicts. This would be anyways a good time to review earlier issues and fix a few bugs, becuase we cannot get back to CRAN without a proper new documentation.

[antaldaniel]

Update: 2.2.5 is on CRAN, but I think that these issues will come back. I think that some elements of the documentation keep pointing to changed documents, and there may be hidden non-performing issues. So I think that the new issues that I wrote are necessary, it would be important to systematically review the old package function descriptions with the new Spotify API official web descriptions, and avoid these hickups in the future.

[pmcharrison]

Wow, that was quick, well done! Thank you!

As and when issues come up with my students I'll be happy to implement further fixes.

[antaldaniel]

Hi @pmcharrison I wrote a few issues, and I think that we should check all elements of the function definition. It is appropriate student work, the Spotify API has changed documetation addresses and some links appear to be broken in the documentation. Also, code readibilty would increase if all functions would have clear @title, @description @detail (if needed) sections. Some functions may not work or work as originally designed. Nothing serious, but I think that if broken links willl be found in machine tests, they will initiate to pull it off CRAN again. I fixed what I could find easily but there may be more.

[pmcharrison]

Thanks @antaldaniel! I don't have any students working with Spotify at the moment but next time I do I'll suggest they take on some issues (good open-source experience if nothing else).