cli_alert_info() not showing in console before file.choose()

[MarkEdmondson1234]

I have this code:

cli_alert_info("Select location of your client ID file:") 
json <- file.choose()

The problem is the file.choose() launches before the message of the line above it (??) so people don't know why the window is opening :)

When the file is chosen, the message does display.

Are there any workarounds?

p.s. this happens for cat() too so is an R thing, not cli.

[gaborcsardi]

It seems like a buffering issue. Try adding flush(stdout()) after the message.

[MarkEdmondson1234]

That didn't do it. I have resorted to using:

cli_alert_info("Select location of your client ID file:") 
do_it <- menu(title = "Ready to download?", choices = c("Yes", "No"))
json <- file.choose()

[gaborcsardi]

I experimented a bit, it seems that this is the buffering of the GUIs. In Windows RGui you can turn it off in the menu or the config, and then it is good.

I don't know if there is a way to force the printing. I also don't know if there is a way to turn off the buffering in RStudio.

For now I am closing this, will fix if we come across a way to force the output.

[gaborcsardi]

Ah, flush.console() seems to do it in Rgui, and also in R.app, regardless of the buffering setting.

It doesn't seem to work in RStudio, bug reported: rstudio/rstudio#8040

[gaborcsardi]

I am reopening this, because we should document it, especially if they fix it in RStudio...