R version 4.0.0 (2020-04-24) -- "Arbor Day"
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Platform: x86_64-pc-linux-gnu (64-bit)

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> 
>  library(aster)
> 
>  data(echinacea)
> 
>  # cut and paste from help(predict.aster)
>  vars <- c("ld02", "ld03", "ld04", "fl02", "fl03", "fl04",
+      "hdct02", "hdct03", "hdct04")
>  redata <- reshape(echinacea, varying = list(vars), direction = "long",
+      timevar = "varb", times = as.factor(vars), v.names = "resp")
>  redata <- data.frame(redata, root = 1)
>  pred <- c(0, 1, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
>  fam <- c(1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 3, 3, 3)
>  hdct <- grepl("hdct", as.character(redata$varb))
>  redata <- data.frame(redata, hdct = as.integer(hdct))
>  level <- gsub("[0-9]", "", as.character(redata$varb))
>  redata <- data.frame(redata, level = as.factor(level))
>  aout <- aster(resp ~ varb + level : (nsloc + ewloc) + hdct : pop,
+      pred, fam, varb, id, root, data = redata)
>  # end of cut and paste from help(predict.aster)
> 
>  length(aout$dropped)
[1] 1
>  # so would have had a problem with restart in version 1.0-3 and before
>  aout <- aster(resp ~ varb + level : (nsloc + ewloc) + hdct : pop,
+      pred, fam, varb, id, root, data = redata, parm = aout$coefficients,
+      optout = TRUE)
>  aout$optout$converged
[1] TRUE
>  aout$optout$iterations == 1
[1] TRUE
> 
> 
> proc.time()
   user  system elapsed 
  0.677   0.032   0.700