R help - Oct 2006 - install packages question

I am at a new job where my sys admin installed R in linux and it does
run when I log in as a user.  I am on linux 2.1.2 but i'm not sure if
it''s redhat etc ( but i doubt this matters for my question ).
 
The alias put in my .envfile ( for the kshell ) is
 
R
"/ms/dev/fsf/R/2.0.0/install/.exec/ia32.linux.2.4.lib6/lib/R/bin/exec/R"
 
and my R_HOME is
/ms/dev/fsf/R/2.0.0/install/.exec/ia32.linux.2.4.lib6/lib/R
 
So now, I am trying to install specific packages ( I can't use
install.packages because my linux doesn't have an internet connection )
, I think I found the right documentation 
( pg 16 of R installation and administration ) and I set my R_LIBS
varaible appropriately  but my  R CMD INSTALL command is not working. It
just drops the  CMD and gives "ARGUMENT CMD __ignored__ )  and invokes R
by itself.  I also tried R CMD BATCH testfile and similarly it dropped
the CMD and the BATCH and just invoked R also
 
Does anyone know what I need to change ( probably in my .envfile ) so
that R knows what these commands mean ?  I am familar with installing R
( binary ) and various packages 
on windows but I am very unfamilar with Linux.
 
I think if I can get this fixed, I might be able to install the specific
packages I need because the instructions on pg 16 are clear. Thanks a
lot.
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"Leeds, Mark (IED)" <Mark.Leeds at morganstanley.com> writes:
> I am at a new job where my sys admin installed R in linux and it does
> run when I log in as a user.  I am on linux 2.1.2 but i'm not sure if
> it''s redhat etc ( but i doubt this matters for my question ).
Well it does, since your sysadmin seems to need help. If it is
Redhat/SuSE/Debian/Ubuntu/..., then he will have much easier
installation options. "cat /etc/issue" should give you a clue what
you're running. ("2.1.2" doesn't ring any bells with me, and
neither
does the use of kshell)
> The alias put in my .envfile ( for the kshell ) is
>  
> R >
"/ms/dev/fsf/R/2.0.0/install/.exec/ia32.linux.2.4.lib6/lib/R/bin/exec/R"
This is wrong. R need to be started via its startup script.
"..../lib/R/bin/R" might be right.
  
> and my R_HOME is
> /ms/dev/fsf/R/2.0.0/install/.exec/ia32.linux.2.4.lib6/lib/R
This should not be set at all.

Notice also that R-2.0.0 is two years old. It really shouldn't be
necessary for you to run something that aged, and it can easily get
you into trouble with packages developed against newer versions.
> So now, I am trying to install specific packages ( I can't use
> install.packages because my linux doesn't have an internet connection )
> , I think I found the right documentation 
> ( pg 16 of R installation and administration ) and I set my R_LIBS
> varaible appropriately  but my  R CMD INSTALL command is not working. It
> just drops the  CMD and gives "ARGUMENT CMD __ignored__ )  and invokes
R
> by itself.  I also tried R CMD BATCH testfile and similarly it dropped
> the CMD and the BATCH and just invoked R also
These are all symptoms of the above misconfiguration.
  
> Does anyone know what I need to change ( probably in my .envfile ) so
> that R knows what these commands mean ?  I am familar with installing R
> ( binary ) and various packages 
> on windows but I am very unfamilar with Linux.
>  
> I think if I can get this fixed, I might be able to install the specific
> packages I need because the instructions on pg 16 are clear. Thanks a
> lot.
You might need to get development tools installed (compilers, library
stubs) if you have compiled code.

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