[R] Landscape indeces analysis methods as an R package!?

[Sander Oom]

Dear Barry,

Thanks for your stimulating reply. As you see I have send a CC of this 
reply to the R mailing list. The R mailing list will be the best place 
to send your queries. You can subscribe here: 
http://www.r-project.org/mail.html

 I would think there is an interest in the provision of landscape 
indices analysis methods in R. There are several packages for landscape 
indices analysis available (Fragstats, APACK, IAN), but all use their 
own user and data interfaces. Only the r.le tools are available in a 
more general software: GRASS GIS. It would be usefull to have the 
functionality within the powerful data analysis tool R. Of course 
providing an R package will remove most of the user and data interface 
requirements as they will be taken care off by R. Only the core 
landscape indices methods need to be included. You will have to consult 
the R mailing list on how to translate your code into an R package!

The spatial aspects of R are further developed at the moment and spatial 
packages become more and more powerful. Look here for most recent 
development: http://www.r-project.org/Rgeo

R can currently read (relevant R package name in brackets: ASCII grid 
(with custom function or Adehabitat), shape files (maptools and 
shapefiles), GRASS files (grass) and ArcInfo files (RArcInfo), many 
others via external gdal (rgdal). I would say plenty of opportunities!

Hope this gets you under way!

Cheers,

Sander.


DeZonia, Barry wrote:

>Hi Sander,
>
>APACK is no longer being developed but is still available for download.
>There isn't a Linux version.
>
>APACK has been superceded by IAN
>(http://landscape.forest.wisc.edu/projects/ian/). It is written in Ruby and
>runs on Windows platforms. A Linux port could be done with a little effort.
>
>You are only the second person to talk about making an R package. I've
>considered this and may yet do so. I've been studying what to do and how for
>a little while now. If you wanted to provide input as to what R users' needs
>are I would be appreciative. One question I have is how do users currently
>get raster data loaded into R (as a matrix I suppose but what file formats
>are supported)? I've seen the pixmap library but the formats are not broadly
>supported.
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Sander Oom [mailto:sander at oomvanlieshout.net] 
>Sent: Wednesday, March 16, 2005 3:49 AM
>To: apack-mail at facstaff.wisc.edu
>Subject: Apack information?
>
>Dear Apack developers,
>
>Could you inform me about the current status of APACK?
>
>Is a version available for Linux?
>
>Would it be possible to translate APACK into an R package?
>
>Looking forward to more information.
>
>Yours,
>
>Sander Oom.
>
>  
>