merge patch 1.18.2.1 into master

NEWS.md

@@ -30,39 +30,45 @@
 
 1. `fread()` with `skip=0` and `(header=TRUE|FALSE)` no longer skips the first row when it has fewer fields than subsequent rows, [#7463](https://github.com/Rdatatable/data.table/issues/7463). Thanks @emayerhofer for the report and @ben-schwen for the fix.
 
-2. `set()` now automatically pre-allocates new column slots if needed, similar to what `:=` already does, [#1831](https://github.com/Rdatatable/data.table/issues/1831) [#4100](https://github.com/Rdatatable/data.table/issues/4100). Thanks to @zachokeeffe and @tyner for the report and @ben-schwen for the fix.
+2. `fread("file://...")` works for file URIs with spaces, [#7550](https://github.com/Rdatatable/data.table/issues/7550). Thanks @aitap for the report and @MichaelChirico for the PR.
 
-3. `fread("file://...")` works for file URIs with spaces, [#7550](https://github.com/Rdatatable/data.table/issues/7550). Thanks @aitap for the report and @MichaelChirico for the PR.
+3. `fread(text=)` could segfault when reading text input ending with a `\x1a` (ASCII SUB) character after a long line, [#7407](https://github.com/Rdatatable/data.table/issues/7407) which is solved by adding check for eof. Thanks @aitap for the report and @manmita for the fix.
 
-4. `sum(<int64 column>)` by group is correct with missing entries and GForce activated ([#7571](https://github.com/Rdatatable/data.table/issues/7571)). Thanks to @rweberc for the report and @manmita for the fix. The issue was caused by a faulty early `break` that spilled between groups, and resulted in silently incorrect results!
+4. `rowwiseDT()` now provides a helpful error message when a complex object that is not a list (e.g., a function) is provided as a cell value, instructing the user to wrap it in `list()`, [#7219](https://github.com/Rdatatable/data.table/issues/7219). Thanks @kylebutts for the report and @venom1204 for the fix.
 
-5. `fread(text=)` could segfault when reading text input ending with a `\x1a` (ASCII SUB) character after a long line, [#7407](https://github.com/Rdatatable/data.table/issues/7407) which is solved by adding check for eof. Thanks @aitap for the report and @manmita for the fix.
+### Notes
 
-6. `rowwiseDT()` now provides a helpful error message when a complex object that is not a list (e.g., a function) is provided as a cell value, instructing the user to wrap it in `list()`, [#7219](https://github.com/Rdatatable/data.table/issues/7219). Thanks @kylebutts for the report and @venom1204 for the fix.
+1. {data.table} now depends on R 3.5.0 (2018).
 
-7. Fixed compilation failure like "error: unknown type name 'siginfo_t'" in v1.18.0 in some strict environments, e.g., FreeBSD, where the header file declaring the POSIX function `waitid` does not transitively include the header file defining the `siginfo_t` type, [#7516](https://github.com/rdatatable/data.table/issues/7516). Thanks to @jszhao for the report and @aitap for the fix.
+2. pydatatable compatibility layer in `fread()` and `fwrite()` has been removed, [#7069](https://github.com/Rdatatable/data.table/issues/7069). Thanks @badasahog for the report and the PR.
 
-8. When fixing duplicate factor levels, `setattr()` no longer crashes upon encountering missing factor values, [#7595](https://github.com/Rdatatable/data.table/issues/7595). Thanks to @sindribaldur for the report and @aitap for the fix.
+3. Vignettes are now built using `litedown` instead of `knitr`, [#6394](https://github.com/Rdatatable/data.table/issues/6394). Thanks @jangorecki for the suggestion and @ben-schwen and @aitap for the implementation.
 
-9. `foverlaps()` no longer crashes due to out-of-bounds access to list and integer vectors when `y` has no rows or the non-range part of the join fails, [#7597](https://github.com/Rdatatable/data.table/issues/7597). Thanks to @nextpagesoft for the report and @aitap for the fix.
+4. The data.table test suite is a bit more robust to lacking UTF-8 support via a new `requires_utf8` argument to `test()` to skip tests when UTF-8 support is not available, [#7336](https://github.com/Rdatatable/data.table/issues/7336). Thanks @MichaelChirico for the suggestion and @ben-schwen for the implementation.
 
-10. The dynamic library now exports only `R_init_data_table`, preventing symbol name conflicts like `hash_create` with PostgreSQL, [#7605](https://github.com/Rdatatable/data.table/issues/7605). Thanks to @ced75 for the report and @aitap for the fix.
+5. `melt()` and `dcast()` no longer provide nudges when receiving incompatible inputs (e.g. data.frames). As of now, we only define methods for `data.table` inputs.
 
-### Notes
+## data.table [v1.18.2.1](https://github.com/Rdatatable/data.table/milestone/44?closed=1)  (22 January 2026)
 
-1. {data.table} now depends on R 3.5.0 (2018).
+### BUG FIXES
 
-2. pydatatable compatibility layer in `fread()` and `fwrite()` has been removed, [#7069](https://github.com/Rdatatable/data.table/issues/7069). Thanks @badasahog for the report and the PR.
+1. When fixing duplicate factor levels, `setattr()` no longer crashes upon encountering missing factor values, [#7595](https://github.com/Rdatatable/data.table/issues/7595). Thanks to @sindribaldur for the report and @aitap for the fix.
 
-3. Vignettes are now built using `litedown` instead of `knitr`, [#6394](https://github.com/Rdatatable/data.table/issues/6394). Thanks @jangorecki for the suggestion and @ben-schwen and @aitap for the implementation.
+2. `foverlaps()` no longer crashes due to out-of-bounds access to list and integer vectors when `y` has no rows or the non-range part of the join fails, [#7597](https://github.com/Rdatatable/data.table/issues/7597). Thanks to @nextpagesoft for the report and @aitap for the fix.
+
+3. The dynamic library now exports only `R_init_data_table`, preventing symbol name conflicts like `hash_create` with PostgreSQL, [#7605](https://github.com/Rdatatable/data.table/issues/7605). Thanks to @ced75 for the report and @aitap for the fix
+
+### Notes
+
+1. Removed use of non-API `ATTRIB`, `SET_ATTRIB`, and `findVar` [#6180](https://github.com/Rdatatable/data.table/issues/6180). Thanks @aitap for the continued assiduous work here, and @MichaelChirico for the easy fix to replace `findVar` with `R_getVar`.
 
-4. Removed use of non-API `ATTRIB`, `SET_ATTRIB`, and `findVar` [#6180](https://github.com/Rdatatable/data.table/issues/6180). Thanks @aitap for the continued assiduous work here, and @MichaelChirico for the easy fix to replace `findVar` with `R_getVar`.
+2. Fixed compilation failure like "error: unknown type name 'siginfo_t'" in v1.18.0 in some strict environments, e.g., FreeBSD, where the header file declaring the POSIX function `waitid` does not transitively include the header file defining the `siginfo_t` type, [#7516](https://github.com/rdatatable/data.table/issues/7516). Thanks to @jszhao for the report and @aitap for the fix.
 
-5. The data.table test suite is a bit more robust to lacking UTF-8 support via a new `requires_utf8` argument to `test()` to skip tests when UTF-8 support is not available, [#7336](https://github.com/Rdatatable/data.table/issues/7336). Thanks @MichaelChirico for the suggestion and @ben-schwen for the implementation.
+3. `sum(<int64 column>)` by group is correct with missing entries and GForce activated ([#7571](https://github.com/Rdatatable/data.table/issues/7571)). Thanks to @rweberc for the report and @manmita for the fix. The issue was caused by a faulty early `break` that spilled between groups, and resulted in silently incorrect results!
 
-6. `melt()` and `dcast()` no longer provide nudges when receiving incompatible inputs (e.g. data.frames). As of now, we only define methods for `data.table` inputs.
+4. `set()` now automatically pre-allocates new column slots if needed, similar to what `:=` already does, [#1831](https://github.com/Rdatatable/data.table/issues/1831) [#4100](https://github.com/Rdatatable/data.table/issues/4100). Thanks to @zachokeeffe and @tyner for the report and @ben-schwen for the fix.
 
-## data.table [v1.18.0](https://github.com/Rdatatable/data.table/milestone/37?closed=1)  23 December 2025
+## data.table [v1.18.0](https://github.com/Rdatatable/data.table/milestone/37?closed=1)  (23 December 2025)
 
 ### BREAKING CHANGE