esp_set_cache_dir: Set your 'mapSpain' cache directory

In mapSpain: Administrative Boundaries and Static Map Tiles for Spain

Set your mapSpain cache directory

Description

This function stores your cache_dir path on your local machine and loads it for future sessions. Use Sys.getenv("MAPSPAIN_CACHE_DIR") or esp_detect_cache_dir() to find the cached path.

Usage

esp_set_cache_dir(
  cache_dir = NULL,
  overwrite = FALSE,
  install = FALSE,
  verbose = TRUE
)

esp_detect_cache_dir()

Arguments

cache_dir	A path to a cache directory. When NULL, the function stores cached files in a temporary directory (see base::tempdir()).
overwrite	Logical. If TRUE, overwrites an existing MAPSPAIN_CACHE_DIR on your local machine.
install	Logical. If TRUE, installs the path on your local machine for use in future sessions. Defaults to FALSE. If cache_dir is FALSE, this argument is automatically set to FALSE.
verbose	A logical value indicating whether to display informational messages.

Details

By default, when no cache_dir is set, the package uses a folder inside base::tempdir() (files are temporary and removed when the R session ends). To persist a cache across R sessions, use esp_set_cache_dir(cache_dir, install = TRUE), which writes the chosen path to a configuration file under tools::R_user_dir("mapSpain", "config").

Value

esp_set_cache_dir() returns an invisible character string with the path to your cache_dir. It is primarily called for its side effect.

esp_detect_cache_dir() returns the path to the cache_dir used in the current session.

Caching

Functions that download data store files in cache_dir. When cache_dir is NULL, they use the active package cache, which defaults to a temporary directory. Set update_cache = TRUE to replace an existing cached file. See Caching strategies in esp_set_cache_dir() to configure a persistent cache.

Caching strategies

Some files can be read from their online source without caching using the option cache = FALSE. Otherwise the source files are downloaded to your computer. mapSpain implements the following caching options:

• For occasional use, rely on the default base::tempdir()-based cache (no install).

• Modify the cache for a single session by setting esp_set_cache_dir(cache_dir = "a/path/here").

• For reproducible workflows, install a persistent cache with esp_set_cache_dir(cache_dir = "a/path/here", install = TRUE), which persists across R sessions.

• For caching specific files, use the cache_dir argument in the corresponding function.

Sometimes cached files may be corrupted. In that case, try re-downloading the data by setting update_cache = TRUE in the corresponding function.

If you experience download problems, try downloading the file by another method and save it to your cache_dir. Use verbose = TRUE to debug the API query and esp_detect_cache_dir() to identify your cache path.

Note

In mapSpain >= 1.0.0, the configuration file location has moved from rappdirs::user_config_dir("mapSpain", "R") to tools::R_user_dir("mapSpain", "config"). A migration function automatically transfers previous configuration files from the old to the new location. A message appears once during this migration.

See Also

tools::R_user_dir().

Cache management utilities: esp_clear_cache()

Examples

# Do not run this. It would modify your current state.
## Not run: 
my_cache <- esp_detect_cache_dir()

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

esp_detect_cache_dir()

# Restore the initial cache.
esp_set_cache_dir(my_cache)
identical(my_cache, esp_detect_cache_dir())

## End(Not run)


esp_detect_cache_dir()

mapSpain documentation built on Aug. 31, 2026, 5:07 p.m.