I use R / RStudio at work. Recently, I tried to download XLConnect package
using
install.packages("XLConnect")
However, I got the following error message:
Installing package(s) into 'WORKCOMPUTER SPECIFIC STUFF HERE
Documents/R/win-library/2.15'
(as 'lib' is unspecified)
trying URL
'http://www.stats.bris.ac.uk/R/bin/windows/contrib/2.15/XLConnect_0.2-5.zip'
Warning in install.packages :
InternetOpenUrl failed: 'The operation timed out'
Error in download.file(url, destfile, method, mode = "wb", ...) :
cannot open URL
'http://www.stats.bris.ac.uk/R/bin/windows/contrib/2.15/XLConnect_0.2-5.zip'
Warning in install.packages :
download of package 'XLConnect' failed
I think the reason for the problem is that I'm in a corporate environment
and our firewall spends 2-3 mins scanning the zip file before releasing it. I
think the solution requires me to tell R to override (what I believe is) the 60
second time-out default setting when you run install.packages. At least I think
install.packages calls download.file I need to extend the time-out window, so
that the firewall can do its thing.
Some notes, which I think are relevant:
Ø Although I'm working in a corporate environment, I have worked with my IT
team to ensure that HTTP/proxy measures allow on the fly package download, e.g.
no problems with install.packages("ggplot2")
Ø I've also tried using "setInternet2(TRUE)" before the above,
which made no difference
Ø I've also tried using: "options(timeout=300)" before the
install.packages command, in order to attempt to force a five-minute window ;
this had no affect
Ø The target file does exist on Bristol's servers if you search for the
website using internet explorer
Ø I can download the package manually (although our security measures spend
some time scanning this particular package). Once saved locally, I successfully
run install.packages to load the file from the local drive, but that's
hardly the way forward if I want to keep things up to date!
Ø I have tried Imperial College's server, which also fails, so it's not
a mirror issue.
Ø I have run the same code at home to the same Bristol mirror and get no
issues.
A bit stuck, therefore!
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