Examples in bsrch don't work

[johnlaing]

As noted by @mtkerbeR in #355

library(Rblpapi)
blpConnect()
bsrch("COMDTY:NGFLOW", verbose=TRUE)
#> Sending Request: ExcelGetGridRequest = { Domain = "COMDTY:NGFLOW" }
#> Processing Response
#> GridResponse = {
#>     NumOfFields = 0
#>     NumOfRecords = 0
#>     ColumnTitles[] = {
#>     }
#>     DataRecords[] = {
#>     }
#>     ReachMax = false
#>     Error = "The domain entered: COMDTY:NGFLOW is not valid."
#>     SequenceNumber = 0
#> }
#> 0 records returned
#> Returned columns:
#> ColumnTitles[] = {
#> }
#> Columns converted to C++ vector
#> 0 Rows expected
#> Dataframe mit 0 Spalten und 0 Zeilen

And with further digging also from Michael:
After some research on this, it seems that there are two main domains used for function bsrch:

1. COMDTY:
   All examples I found in this category (i.e. bsrch("COMDTY:Weather") and bsrch("COMDTY:SHIP")) need additional parameters. According to Bloomberg Excel Example Sheet: "BSRCH allows you to download vessel data dynamically. Searches can be constructed by selecting parameters for the INPUT and OUTPUT preceded by COMDTY:SHIP".
   But additional parameters are currently not implemented for function Rblpapi::bsrch.

2. FI:
   According to Bloomberg Excel Help: "You can use BSRCH to import the results of a saved search from the Fixed Income Search (SRCH) function, so you can analyze the list of bonds or loans in Excel."

Hence a solution could be to have:

• a unit-test using an option, e.g. rblpapi_test_srch defined by the user running the unit tests
• no examples for function bsrch as the name is user-specific (analogous to function getPortfolio)
• maybe add a sentence how to construct fixed income searches (as this seems to be the main use-case now)?

[johnlaing]

We should certainly add a note about how to construct an FI search, perhaps with a reference to the relevant Bloomberg doc. Maybe we can change the example to something fake like "FI:YOURSRCH" and wrap it in donttest. To me this is preferable to no examples and examples-relying-on-user-defined-options.

We should also note that COMDTY searches don't work due to missing parameters. If someone would like to step up and add that feature we'd be receptive to the PR. I don't use it so likely won't be doing that work myself.

[eddelbuettel]

As you now split the discussion between #355 and #356 here, feel free to also get back to me as to whether you consider this a release blocker or not. AFAICR bsrch always was an add-on (by @wmorgan85) that was possibly less used so ... I'd be happy to just remove/comment-out the example and tests. I don't see this as a critical feature. Other takers?

[johnlaing]

As I see it, the most likely outcome is that we update the docs. That's low-hanging fruit and can easily be done prior to a new release. If anyone feels differently about what we ought to do about broken bsrch that might change whether we hold a release for it.

[eddelbuettel]

Do you want to just push an update? (About to brace the cold here and go running....)