Add glueNimbleCode()

[adamlilith]

glueNimbleCode() combines output from different calls to nimbleCode() so it can be processed by nimbleModel().

Useful for cases where we have the same basic nimble code, but want to tack on different blocks depending on the workflow. Obviates having a different script for every small difference between models. A very simple example:

code_start <- nimbleCode({
   sigma ~ dunif(0, 100)
   for (i in 1:n) {
      y[i] ~ dnorm(mu, sd = sigma)
   }
})

broad_prior <- nimbleCode({ mu ~ dnorm(0, sd = 100) })
reg_prior_prior <- nimbleCode({ mu ~ ddexp(rate = 1) })

if (dataset == 'a') {
   model_code <- glueNimbleCode(code_start, broad_prior)
} else if (dataset == 'b') {
   model_code <- glueNimbleCode(code_start, reg_prior)
}

model <- nimbleModel(model_code, ...) # etc

[paciorek]

@adamlilith thanks for this contribution. This is a nice idea and we can appreciate the appeal of being able to glue together different model components.

We've had a bit of discussion of this on the dev team about whether to accomplish this as you've outlined or instead allow nimbleCode to take ... , allowing a user to provide multiple model code chunks that way.

I'm hopeful we'll have something along these lines in the next release (which isn't too far away), though it might not be exactly your approach.

[adamlilith]

I'd be happy with the concept, however it's implemented! A

…

________________________________ From: Christopher Paciorek ***@***.***> Sent: Friday, July 18, 2025 7:09 PM To: nimble-dev/nimble ***@***.***> Cc: Adam Smith ***@***.***>; Mention ***@***.***> Subject: Re: [nimble-dev/nimble] Add `glueNimbleCode()` (PR #1570) [https://avatars.githubusercontent.com/u/2501598?s=20&v=4]paciorek left a comment (nimble-dev/nimble#1570)<#1570 (comment)> @adamlilith<https://github.com/adamlilith> thanks for this contribution. This is a nice idea and we can appreciate the appeal of being able to glue together different model components. We've had a bit of discussion of this on the dev team about whether to accomplish this as you've outlined or instead allow nimbleCode to take ... , allowing a user to provide multiple model code chunks that way. I'm hopeful we'll have something along these lines in the next release (which isn't too far away), though it might not be exactly your approach. — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub<#1570 (comment)>, or unsubscribe<https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/ABZZ3ZXXF2NY6E7ETSV4Z5D3JGECBAVCNFSM6AAAAACBC2N7AOVHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43OSLTON2WKQ3PNVWWK3TUHMZTAOJRGI4DQNBZHE>. You are receiving this because you were mentioned.Message ID: ***@***.***>

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[paciorek]

We're taking the approach of adding functionality to nimbleCode in the nimbleCode_combine_code_objects branch.