Hello, > pack <- "utils" > help( write.table, package = pack ) Error in .find.package(package, lib.loc, verbose = verbose) : there is no package called 'pack' Replacing this : if(!missing(package)) if(is.name(y <- substitute(package))) package <- as.character(y) by this : if( !missing(package) ){ ischar <- tryCatch(is.character(package) && length(package) == 1L, error = identity) if(inherits(ischar, "error")) ischar <- FALSE ## if this was not a length-one character vector, try for the name. if(!ischar) { spackage <- deparse(substitute(package)) if(!is.name(substitute(package)) ) stop("'package' should be a name or a length-one character vector") package <- spackage } } makes these three calls work: > help( write.table, package = "utils" ) > help( write.table, package = utils ) > help( write.table, package = pack ) ... unless utils is a variable -- Romain Francois Professional R Enthusiast +33(0) 6 28 91 30 30 http://romainfrancois.blog.free.fr |- http://tr.im/BcPw : celebrating R commit #50000 |- http://tr.im/ztCu : RGG #158:161: examples of package IDPmisc `- http://tr.im/yw8E : New R package : sos