merge patch 1.18.4 patch NEWS

Author: MichaelChirico

NEWS.md

@@ -42,17 +42,9 @@
 
 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. Non-equi joins combining an equality condition with two inequality conditions on the same column (e.g., `on = .(id == id, val >= lo, val <= hi)`) no longer error, [#7641](https://github.com/Rdatatable/data.table/issues/7641). The internal `chmatchdup` remapping of duplicate `rightcols` was overwriting the original column indices, causing downstream code to reference non-existent columns. Thanks @tarun-t for the report and fix, and @aitap for the diagnosis.
+5. `fread()` can now read from connections directly by spilling to a temporary file first, [#561](https://github.com/Rdatatable/data.table/issues/561). For the best throughput, point `tmpdir=` (or the global temp directory) to fast storage like an SSD or RAM. Thanks to Chris Neff for the report and @ben-schwen for the implementation.
 
-6. By-reference sub-assignments of strings to factor columns now _actually_ match the levels in UTF-8 when required and now don't result in invalid factors being created, [#7648](https://github.com/Rdatatable/data.table/issues/7648), amending a previous incomplete fix to [#6886](https://github.com/Rdatatable/data.table/issues/6886) in v1.17.2. Thanks @BASS-JN for the report and @aitap for the fix.
-
-7. `fread()` can now read from connections directly by spilling to a temporary file first, [#561](https://github.com/Rdatatable/data.table/issues/561). For the best throughput, point `tmpdir=` (or the global temp directory) to fast storage like an SSD or RAM. Thanks to Chris Neff for the report and @ben-schwen for the implementation.
-
-8. `frollapply()` no longer produces output longer than the input when the window length is also longer than the input [#7646](https://github.com/Rdatatable/data.table/issues/7646). Thanks to @hadley-johnson for reporting and @jangorecki for the fix.
-
-9. `fread()` no longer replaces a literal header column name `"NA"` with an auto-generated `Vn` name when `na.strings` includes `"NA"`, [#5124](https://github.com/Rdatatable/data.table/issues/5124). Data rows still continue to parse `"NA"` as missing. Thanks @Mashin6 for the report and @shrektan for the fix.
-
-10. `fread()` no longer misreads dates with negative years, [#7704](https://github.com/Rdatatable/data.table/issues/7704). Thanks to @kevinushey for the report and @aitap for the fix.
+6. `fread()` no longer replaces a literal header column name `"NA"` with an auto-generated `Vn` name when `na.strings` includes `"NA"`, [#5124](https://github.com/Rdatatable/data.table/issues/5124). Data rows still continue to parse `"NA"` as missing. Thanks @Mashin6 for the report and @shrektan for the fix.
 
 ### Notes
 
@@ -68,6 +60,18 @@
 
 6. Enhanced tests for OpenMP support, detecting incompatibilities such as R-bundled runtime _vs._ newer Xcode and testing for a manually installed runtime from <https://mac.r-project.org/openmp>, [#6622](https://github.com/Rdatatable/data.table/issues/6622). Thanks to @dvg-p4 for initial report and testing, @twitched for the pointers, @tdhock and @aitap for the fix.
 
+## data.table [v1.18.4](https://github.com/Rdatatable/data.table/milestone/45) (6 May 2026)
+
+### BUG FIXES
+
+1. Non-equi joins combining an equality condition with two inequality conditions on the same column (e.g., `on = .(id == id, val >= lo, val <= hi)`) no longer error, [#7641](https://github.com/Rdatatable/data.table/issues/7641). The internal `chmatchdup` remapping of duplicate `rightcols` was overwriting the original column indices, causing downstream code to reference non-existent columns. Thanks @tarun-t for the report and fix, and @aitap for the diagnosis.
+
+2. By-reference sub-assignments of strings to factor columns now _actually_ match the levels in UTF-8 when required and now don't result in invalid factors being created, [#7648](https://github.com/Rdatatable/data.table/issues/7648), amending a previous incomplete fix to [#6886](https://github.com/Rdatatable/data.table/issues/6886) in v1.17.2. Thanks @BASS-JN for the report and @aitap for the fix.
+
+3. `fread()` no longer misreads dates with negative years, [#7704](https://github.com/Rdatatable/data.table/issues/7704). Thanks to @kevinushey for the report and @aitap for the fix.
+
+4. `frollapply()` no longer produces output longer than the input when the window length is also longer than the input [#7646](https://github.com/Rdatatable/data.table/issues/7646). Thanks to @hadley-johnson for reporting and @jangorecki for the fix.
+
 ## data.table [v1.18.2.1](https://github.com/Rdatatable/data.table/milestone/44?closed=1)  (22 January 2026)
 
 ### BUG FIXES