[R] build R on windows

Duncan Murdoch
Tue, 21 Mar 2006 23:43:44 -0000

On 3/21/2006 6:14 PM, Jennifer Lai wrote:
> Hi,
>     I'm not sure if this question has been answered before, but when I
> execute command  "Rcmd INSTALL --build nws" to build an R package
on
> Windows,
> the build process got stucked on the save image step.
>
> Here is the snapshot of the build process,
> --- Making package nws ----
>    adding build stamp to DESCRIPTION
>    installing NAMESPACE file and metadata
>    installing R files
>    save images
>
> The build process never returns unless I Ctrl-C out of it.
>
> I also tried with removing SaveImage option from the DESCRIPTION file.
> This time, the build process got stucked at lazy loading step.
> I then set LazyLoad option to no in the DESCRIPTION file, this allows
> the build process to generate a zip file. However, when I load the
> library in R command console
> by typing "library(nws)", the command just hung trying to load
the library.
>
> Here is the content of the description file,
> Package: nws
> Title: R functions for NetWorkSpaces and Sleigh
> Version: 1.3.0
> License:  GPL Version 2 or later
> Depends: R (>=2.1), methods
> SaveImage: true
> URL: http://nws-r.sourceforge.net
>
> Is there any subtlety between building R packages in Linux and Windows?
> I can build and load this package under Linux. But can't figure out
> what's causing the hang on Windows and how to debug the problem.  Has
> anyone ran into similar problem before, and steps you took to debug the
> problem?
> I very much appreciate any help you can provide. Thanks!


The main subtlety is that on Windows you need to install most of the
tools yourself.  Read the instructions in the R Installation and
Administration manual, and follow them exactly.  A common error is not
to put the R tools first in the PATH; then Windows finds the wrong
commands, and things go wrong.

I don't know what debugging tools are available, other than editing the
scripts to print things out as they go along.  The scripts are normally
installed in the RHOME/bin directory.

Duncan Murdoch

Duncan Murdoch