[R] OS X specific question: help.start() won't launch

[Prof Brian Ripley]

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
> >
> 
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> 

-- 
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