Package 'starter'

Start a new project

Description

Creates a directory with the essential files for a new project. The function can be used on existing project directories as well. Existing files will not be overwritten; rather, the user will be prompted whether to replace the existing file with the template file.

Usage

create_project(
  path,
  path_data = NULL,
  template = "default",
  git = TRUE,
  renv = TRUE,
  symlink = git,
  renv.settings = NULL,
  overwrite = NA,
  open = interactive()
)

Arguments

path	A path. If it exists, it is used. If it does not exist, it is created.
path_data	A path. The directory where the secure data exist. Default is NULL. When supplied, a symbolic link to data folder will be created.
template	A project template. See vignette for details.
git	Logical indicating whether to create Git repository. Default is TRUE When NA, user will be prompted whether to initialise Git repo.
renv	Logical indicating whether to add renv to a project. Default is TRUE. When NA user is asked interactively for preference.
symlink	Logical indicating whether to place a symbolic link to the location in ⁠path_data=⁠. Default is to place the symbolic link if the project is a git repository.
renv.settings	A list of renv settings passed to renv::scaffold(settings=)
overwrite	Logical indicating whether to overwrite existing files if they exist. Options are TRUE, FALSE, and NA (aka ask interactively). Default is NA
open	Logical indicating whether to open new project in fresh RStudio session

Value

NULL, places project template in new or existing directory

Personalized Template

Users can create a personalized project template. Check out the vignette for step by step instructions.

Author(s)

Daniel D. Sjoberg

See Also

use_project_file()

Vignette for create_project()

Examples

# specifying project folder location (folder does not yet exist)
project_path <- file.path(tempdir(), "My Project Folder")

# creating folder where secure data would be stored (typically will be a network drive)
secure_data_path <- file.path(tempdir(), "secure_data")
dir.create(secure_data_path)

# creating new project folder
create_project(project_path, path_data = secure_data_path)

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Establish symbolic link between folders

Description

The starter_symlink() function is an OS agnostic function that creates symbolic links between two folders. The function is, at its core, a wrapper for the R.utils::createLink() function with opinionated defaults. The function must be called in an environment where the working directory is known (e.g. using ⁠*.Rproj⁠, setwd(), etc.).

Usage

create_symlink(to, name = "secure_data", ...)

Arguments

to	target file or directory to which the shortcut should point to.
name	symbolic link folder name. Default folder name is "secure_data"
...	arguments passed on to R.utils::createLink()

Details

A symbolic link is a special kind of file that points to another file/folder. A symbolic link does not contain the data in the target file. It simply points to another entry somewhere in the file system. This allows symbolic links to link to directories or files on remote network locations. Depending on your operating system, a link may not establish if the originating path is a network drive.

Value

NULL, Places the path or pathname to the link.

Author(s)

Daniel D. Sjoberg

See Also

R.utils::createLink()

Examples

# Using `starter_symlink()` to establish a symbolic link to a
# mapped networked data folder.
# The default name of the symlink folder is 'secure_data'
create_symlink("O:/Outcomes/Project Folder/Data")

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Project templates

Description

The project_templates object defines the contents of the project templates used in create_project() and use_file().

Usage

project_templates

Format

A named list containing the project templates.

Examples

if (FALSE) {
create_project(
  path = file.path(tempdir(), "Sjoberg New Project"),
  template = project_templates[["analysis"]]
)
}

---

Write a template file

Description

Rather than using create_project() to start a new project folder, you may use use_project_file() to write a single file from any project template. The functions use_project_gitignore() and use_project_readme() are shortcuts for use_project_file("gitignore") and use_project_file("readme").

Usage

use_project_file(
  name = NULL,
  filename = NULL,
  template = NULL,
  open = interactive()
)

use_project_gitignore(filename = NULL, template = NULL)

use_project_readme(filename = NULL, template = NULL)

Arguments

name	Name of file to write. Not sure of the files available to you? Run the function without specifying a name, and all files available within the template will print.
filename	Optional argument to specify the name of the file to be written. Paths/filename is relative to project base
template	A project template. See vignette for details.
open	If TRUE, opens the new file.

Value

NULL, places single template file in current working directory

See Also

create_project()

Vignette for create_project()

Examples

# only run fn interactively, will place files in current working dir
if (interactive()) {
  # create gitignore file
  use_project_file("gitignore")
  use_project_gitignore()

  # create README.md file
  use_project_file("readme")
  use_project_readme()
}

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