R help - Aug 2004 - OS X specific question: help.start() won't launch

I've got the same problem with help.start().  It seems to be a problem with
the 'open'
command when executed through R's 'system' function -

ie system('open something.html')

gives an error message,  whilst opening a new xterm (or console)
and entering 

open something.html

works fine (here 'something.html' is the same in both cases.)

My current work-around is to enter
debug(browseURL)

- this function is called by help.start -
and then to 'catch' the name of the url that is meant to be opened
by stepping through the function until the final 'system' command and
looking at
the variable 'quotedURL'.  I then open a new xterm and enter the open
command
with the value of quotedURL. Once this is done,  I make sure I don't 
close the help window for the rest of my R session!

I'm sure there must be a better way than this - perhaps somebody out there
can help.
Some other bits of info may be useful -

1) This only started happening when I upgraded to OS X 10.3.5
2) The error message I get when I try to execute 'open' from the system
function
   is as follows 
   dyld: /usr/bin/open version mismatch for library.
/usr/local/lib/libxml2.2.dylib
   (compatibility version of user: 9.0.0 greater than library's version
8.0.0)
3) I'm using R 1.9.1


Chris

> -----Original Message-----
> From: r-help-bounces at stat.math.ethz.ch 
> [mailto:r-help-bounces at stat.math.ethz.ch] On Behalf Of David 
> L. Van Brunt, Ph.D.
> Sent: 19 August 2004 03:35
> To: R-help
> Subject: [R] OS X specific question: help.start() won't launch
> 
> 
> It's been a while since I used R, and have certainly applied a few 
> system patches. Since I installed the latest R.bin, when I type 
> "help.start()" nothing happens anymore. It used to launch a
browser
> with the R help system.
> 
> Anyone know of any issues here, or ways to re-enable this?
> 
> Didn't see anything searching the FAQ, just stuff on the java-based 
> search. I don't need that, just need to open the help!
> 
> Thanks,
> 	
> 	Dave VB
> 
> ______________________________________________
> R-help at stat.math.ethz.ch mailing list 
> https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-help
> PLEASE do read 
> the posting guide! http://www.R-project.org/posting-guide.html
>

You need to find out what put /usr/local/lib/libxml2.2.dylib
there and correct it.  Look at PR#7063 in the R-bugs archive.
Stefano Iacus said there

  Please remove your copy of libxml2 in /usr/local/lib, you no longer
  need it on Panther and the one included in 10.3.4 is incompatible with
  the one in /usr/local/lib 

On Thu, 19 Aug 2004, Brunsdon C (Comp) wrote:
> I've got the same problem with help.start().  It seems to be a problem
with
> the 'open'
> command when executed through R's 'system' function -
> 
> ie system('open something.html')
> 
> gives an error message,  whilst opening a new xterm (or console)
> and entering 
> 
> open something.html
> 
> works fine (here 'something.html' is the same in both cases.)
> 
> My current work-around is to enter
> debug(browseURL)
> 
> - this function is called by help.start -
> and then to 'catch' the name of the url that is meant to be opened
> by stepping through the function until the final 'system' command
and
> looking at
> the variable 'quotedURL'.  I then open a new xterm and enter the
open
> command
> with the value of quotedURL. Once this is done,  I make sure I don't 
> close the help window for the rest of my R session!
> 
> I'm sure there must be a better way than this - perhaps somebody out
there
> can help.
> Some other bits of info may be useful -
> 
> 1) This only started happening when I upgraded to OS X 10.3.5
> 2) The error message I get when I try to execute 'open' from the
system
> function
>    is as follows 
>    dyld: /usr/bin/open version mismatch for library.
> /usr/local/lib/libxml2.2.dylib
>    (compatibility version of user: 9.0.0 greater than library's version
> 8.0.0)
> 3) I'm using R 1.9.1
> 
> 
> Chris
> 
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: r-help-bounces at stat.math.ethz.ch 
> > [mailto:r-help-bounces at stat.math.ethz.ch] On Behalf Of David 
> > L. Van Brunt, Ph.D.
> > Sent: 19 August 2004 03:35
> > To: R-help
> > Subject: [R] OS X specific question: help.start() won't launch
> > 
> > 
> > It's been a while since I used R, and have certainly applied a few
> > system patches. Since I installed the latest R.bin, when I type 
> > "help.start()" nothing happens anymore. It used to launch a
browser
> > with the R help system.
> > 
> > Anyone know of any issues here, or ways to re-enable this?
> > 
> > Didn't see anything searching the FAQ, just stuff on the
java-based
> > search. I don't need that, just need to open the help!
> > 
> > Thanks,
> > 	
> > 	Dave VB
> > 
> > ______________________________________________
> > R-help at stat.math.ethz.ch mailing list 
> > https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-help
> > PLEASE do read 
> > the posting guide! http://www.R-project.org/posting-guide.html
> >
> 
> ______________________________________________
> R-help at stat.math.ethz.ch mailing list
> https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-help
> PLEASE do read the posting guide!
http://www.R-project.org/posting-guide.html
> 
> 
-- 
Brian D. Ripley,                  ripley at stats.ox.ac.uk
Professor of Applied Statistics,  http://www.stats.ox.ac.uk/~ripley/
University of Oxford,             Tel:  +44 1865 272861 (self)
1 South Parks Road,                     +44 1865 272866 (PA)
Oxford OX1 3TG, UK                Fax:  +44 1865 272595