Communication package between R and Mesquite

Information just received from the R-sig-phylo mailing list:

We'd like to announce the beta release of packages for communication between Mesquite and R. Mesquite is a graphical application for phylogenetic and evolutionary analysis; R is a system for statistical computation primarily oriented around text-based programming. We have enabled communication in both directions:

• RMesquite enables R programs to make use of Mesquite, either as a graphical interface for editing trees and data, or to provide its broad array of phylogenetic calculations to R (http://rmesquite.r-forge.r-project.org).
• Mesquite.R enables Mesquite to make use of functions in R (http://mesquiteproject.org/packages/mesquite.R/MesquiteCallsR/MesquiteR.html). At the moment these include functions in the R packages ape and diversitree.

Only a handful of functions have been enabled in each direction; we seek your input as to what functions would be of most interest to R users and Mesquite users.

You may consider this as an experimental release for thrill-seekers. Please tell us if something doesn't seem to work or is confusing -- feedback is much appreciated. We hope to continue to strengthen the links between R and Mesquite.

Wayne Maddison, UBC
Hilmar Lapp, NESCent