Installation package splitting
After previous updates, I decided to divide the installation package into two parts: R for Stagraph and Stagraph. R for Stagraph is customized Open Source distribution of the R Runtime that is ready for immediate use. This distribution contains all the external R packages that Stagraph uses. This part of the installation is relatively stable (in time).
The second part is the Stagraph itself, which represents a GUI that runs on the top of R Runtime. As I plan to publish Stagraph updates more frequently, I’ve split the installation package into these two parts. R for Stagraph can be installed in your computer and you will update only the Stagraph package. This will allow you to download and reinstall only the smaller part of the package.
In addition, the Stagraph can be used also in conjunction with other R distributions, such as the most commonly used base distribution from r-project.org or others. About this we say more another time.
Improved work with project files
Work with project files (files with the *.stgr extension) has been fundamentally improved in the previous update. At this time, some background adjustments have been made for a better experience. After the Stagraph installing, files with the *.stgr extension will be automatically associated with application. This means that if you double-click on that file, it will automatically open in Stagraph. You can also display your project file in Stagraph using the Drag & Drop feature.
.R files import
Other files that you can open in the Stagraph are *.R files that contains custom R scripts. I did not associate these files with Stagraph by default, because there are better R editors, such as R Studio or R Tools for Visual Studio (you can do it manually - right-click on .R file and choose Open With > Choose Another App > Stagraph.exe). You can open .R files in Stagraph (in the integrated R Console) as an attribute at Stagraph start or using the Drag & Drop feature. Opening .R files as an attribute at application start is useful if you want to use the program in cooperation with another tools (e.g. Power BI). We’ll introduce this feature later.
Automatic R Runtime detection
Until the last Stagraph version, the R Runtime had to be installed in a predefined location on the disk. From 2.1 version, the program automatically detects the installed R. When Stagraph first starts, it checks if the R for Stagraph distribution is installed in your computer (in Program Files directory). If the program does not find it, looking for the classic distribution of r-project.org and connects to the latest installed version.
Likewise, the program automatically detects whether your computer is 32 or 64-bit and connects to the right R Runtime (32 or 64-bit). This information is stored and automatically used for the following starts. Default R Connection can be later changed manually through the Stagraph Properties.
Automatic check of installed packages
After the start, when Stagraph is successfully connected to R Runtime, application automatically checks if all required R packages are installed and available. If not, the program informs you about it and offers an immediate installation.
Improvements of visual interface
The core and main feature of Stagraph is a GUI built on the top of R. This visual interface is progressively improved. In this version, I mainly modified (and unified) naming conventions for individual function arguments.
Stagraph has become a powerful tool for data science (data import, data wrangling and data visualizations). Do not hesitate to try it. A lot of useful and powerful features are already available in the Free version. Also please comment and share.