Ensuring compatibility for CRAN-packages using rstan

Interfaces RStan
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I am wondering how to ensure that CRAN-packages relying on rstan are ready for new versions of rstan appearing on CRAN in the future.

Currently, rstan on CRAN is at 2.21.8. If I compile the models in my package using CmdStan 2.32.0, I get the following warning: “Declaration of arrays by placing brackets after a variable name is deprecated and will be removed in Stan 2.33.0. Instead use the array keyword before the type. This can be changed automatically using the auto-format flag to stanc”.

The skeleton for my package was created using rstantools. Is there an easy way to turn on auto-format, and will this ensure compatibility with future rstan versions on CRAN (until I switch to the new declaration format)?

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@bgoodri @jonah @andrjohns @rok_cesnovar

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Using auto-format or the new syntax is not compatible until rstan 2.26 is on CRAN. This should not be too far off now that StanHeaders was accepted

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Ok, so the best approach is to wait for rstan 2.26, and then add auto-format or update the syntax before version 2.33?

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Yes

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@andrjohns: StanHeader 2.26.25 appeared on CRAN nearly 4 weeks ago, and was since updated to 2.26.26.
So any idea what the “not to far off” actually means? :)

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