Error with tex2docx function from reports R package

Question

I'm trying to reproduce the example for tex2docx function in reports R package and getting the following error.

DOC <- system.file("extdata/doc_library/apa6.qual_tex/doc.tex",
   package = "reports")
BIB <- system.file("extdata/docs/example.bib", package = "reports")
tex2docx(DOC, file.path(getwd(), "test.docx"), path = NULL, bib.loc = BIB)

Error Message

pandoc.exe: Error reading bibliography `C:/Users/Muhammad'
citeproc: the format of the bibliographic database could not be recognized
using the file extension.
docx file generated!
Warning message:
running command 'C:\Users\MUHAMM~1\AppData\Local\Pandoc\pandoc.exe -s C:/Users/Muhammad Yaseen/R/win-library/3.0/reports/extdata/doc_library/apa6.qual_tex/doc.tex -o C:/Users/Muhammad Yaseen/Documents/test.docx --bibliography=C:/Users/Muhammad Yaseen/R/win-library/3.0/reports/extdata/docs/example.bib' had status 23

I wonder how to get tex2docx function in reports R package working properly.

Answer 1

As described in the above comments, the error is caused by passing a filename/path including some spaces that are nor escaped, nor quoted. A workaround could be wrapping all file paths and names inside of shQuote before passing to the command line with system.

Code: https://github.com/trinker/reports/pull/31

---

Demo:

1. Loading package

   library(reports)
   

2. Creating a dummy dir with a space in the name that would hold the bib file

   dir.create('foo bar')
   file.copy(system.file("extdata/docs/example.bib", package = "reports"), 'foo bar/example.bib')
   

3. Specifying the source and the copied bib file:

   DOC <- system.file("extdata/doc_library/apa6.qual_tex/doc.tex", package = "reports")
   BIB <- 'foo bar/example.bib'
   

4. Running the test:

   tex2docx(DOC, file.path(getwd(), "test2.docx"), path = NULL, bib.loc = BIB)
   

---

Disclaimer: I tried to test this pull request, but I could not setup an environment with all the needed tools to run R CMD check with vignettes and everything else after all in 5 mins (sorry but being on vacation right now and just enjoying the siesta after lunch), so please consider this pull request as "untested" -- although it should work.