uses remotes::install_version to get a historic account of the default arguments

historic_defaults.R

library(rlang)
library(remotes)

print.historic_defaults <- function(x,...){
  v_list_str <- ls(x)
  v_list <- as.numeric_version(v_list_str)
  v_list_ordered <- v_list_str[order(v_list)]
  for(i in 1:length(v_list_ordered)){
    c_v_list <- v_list_ordered[[i]]
    cat("Version:",c_v_list,"\n")
    cat(arg_name,"= ")
    print(x[[c_v_list]])
    cat("\n")
  }
}

v_inst <- function(pkg,ver,...){
  res <- tryCatch(
    install_version(
      pkg,
      ver,
      upgrade = "never",
      dependencies = F,
      quiet = T,
      force = T,
      ...
    ),
    error = function(e) "NULL"
  )
  res == pkg
}

get_historic_defaults <- function(pkg_name,fun_name,arg_name,n=Inf){
  
  prime_version <- packageVersion(pkg_name)
  
  do_next <- TRUE
  
  res <- structure(env(),class="historic_defaults")
  
  count <- 0
  
  while(count < n && do_next){
    
    c_version <- packageVersion(pkg_name)
    c_version_str <- as.character(c_version)
    
    res[[c_version_str]] <- formals(fun_name,envir=asNamespace(pkg_name))[[arg_name]]
    
    next_version <- paste0("< ",c_version_str)
    
    do_next <- v_inst(pkg_name,next_version)
    
    count <- count + 1
  }
  
  v_inst(pkg_name,prime_version)
  
  res
}

out <- get_historic_defaults("ggplot2","geom_point","data",5)