gb_set_cache_dir: Set the 'geobounds' cache directory

In geobounds: Download Administrative Boundary Data from 'geoBoundaries'

Set the geobounds cache directory

Description

Sets the active cache directory and optionally saves it for future sessions. Use gb_detect_cache_dir() to find the active cache directory.

Usage

gb_set_cache_dir(
  cache_dir = NULL,
  overwrite = FALSE,
  install = FALSE,
  quiet = FALSE
)

Arguments

cache_dir	A path to a cache directory. If NULL, the function stores cached archives in a temporary directory. See base::tempdir().
overwrite	A logical value. If TRUE, replace a cache directory already saved in the configuration file.
install	A logical value. If TRUE, save the cache directory for use in future sessions. Defaults to FALSE. If cache_dir is NULL, this parameter is set to FALSE automatically.
quiet	A logical value. If TRUE, suppress informational messages.

Details

By default, when no cache_dir is set, geobounds uses a directory inside base::tempdir(). Cached archives in this directory are removed when the R session ends. To reuse a cache directory across R sessions, use gb_set_cache_dir(cache_dir = "a/path/here", install = TRUE). This saves the directory in the user configuration path returned by tools::R_user_dir().

Value

An invisible character scalar containing the path to the cache directory.

Cache strategies

• For occasional use, use the default temporary cache directory.

• Set the cache directory for the current session with gb_set_cache_dir(cache_dir = "a/path/here").

• Save a persistent cache directory for future R sessions with gb_set_cache_dir(cache_dir = "a/path/here", install = TRUE).

• Set the cache directory for an individual download with the cache_dir argument. See gb_get().

See Also

gb_get() and gb_get_world() use the configured cache directory for downloaded boundary archives. tools::R_user_dir() identifies standard locations for user-specific files.

Cache management functions: gb_clear_cache(), gb_detect_cache_dir()

Examples

# Caution: this may modify your current state.

## Not run: 
my_cache <- gb_detect_cache_dir()

# Set an example cache directory.
ex <- file.path(tempdir(), "example", "cachenew")
gb_set_cache_dir(ex)

gb_detect_cache_dir()

# Restore the initial cache.
gb_set_cache_dir(my_cache)
identical(my_cache, gb_detect_cache_dir())

## End(Not run)

gb_detect_cache_dir()

geobounds documentation built on Sept. 6, 2026, 1:06 a.m.