Install missing packages on the fly — handle_package_not

Use this function to set up a global error handler, that is called if R fails to load a package. This handler will offer you the choice of installing the missing package (and all its dependencies), and in some cases it can also remedy the error and restart the code.

Usage

handle_package_not_found(err)

Arguments

err: The error object, of class packageNotFoundError.

Value

Nothing.

Details

You are not supposed to call this function directly. Instead, set it up as a global error handler, possibly in your .Rprofile file:

if (interactive() && getRversion() >= "4.0.0") {
  globalCallingHandlers(
    packageNotFoundError = function(err) {
      try(pak::handle_package_not_found(err))
    }
  )
}

Global error handlers are only supported in R 4.0.0 and later.

Currently handle_package_not_found() does not do anything in non-interactive mode (including in knitr, testthat and RStudio notebooks), this might change in the future.

In some cases it is possible to remedy the original computation that tried to load the missing package, and pak will offer you to do so after a successful installation. Currently, in R 4.0.4, it is not possible to continue a failed library() call.