separate download step from install step in renv::restore?

[natlownes]

Hi

I was wondering if it's possible to separate the download step from the install step? The use case is I'm trying to create an image of a large and fussy R project. It would be cool to cache the result of "downloading 40% of the R packages ever created in the course of human history" step before trying to build them

Thanks for all you do

[kevinushey]

Thanks! I've implemented this in the development version of renv; you should now be able to use something like:

renv::retrieve()
renv::restore()

and the renv::restore() step will use the packages downloaded in the first retrieve() step.

[natlownes]

wow thank you so much this is incredible. if I run into any issues I'll open a PR. really appreciate this