[R] error message when downloading packages using the OS X shell
David Winsemius
dwinsemius at comcast.net
Tue Feb 16 04:06:17 CET 2010
On Feb 15, 2010, at 8:58 PM, Jessica Joganic wrote:
> Hi Fellow R Users,
> I recently upgraded to Mac OS X 10.5 (Snow Leopard) and had some
> issues
> downloading and running R 2.10.1. I fixed the tcl/tk problem I was
> originally having but it was replaced with another. I run R out of
> the shell
> (terminal) and when I ask it to download.packages() it gives me the
> following message:
>
> *Loading Tcl/Tk interface ... done*
> *Error in file.info(x) : argument "destdir" is missing, with no
> default*
> *
> *
I am a bit puzzled by that function call. I would have expected there
to be some arguments in the call. What were you expecting to be the
results? After I run that function, I get a window of CRAN sites to
choose and after choosing the CMU site I get:
> download.packages()
--- Please select a CRAN mirror for use in this session ---
Loading Tcl/Tk interface ... done
Error in file.info(x) : argument "destdir" is missing, with no default
> I searched around on the help archives and various online message
> boards and
> the most I could discern was that the directory where the library is
> located
> isn't being recognized by R (it should recognize it by default). I
> tried
> setting the "destdir" argument manually to no avail. I am able to
> successfully download and install packages with no problem if I run
> the
> actual R program out of the Applications folder,
Heh, the thing you are calling the "actual R program" is probably the
R-GUI, typically named R.app or R64.app, and it is a front-end to the
R executable.
> however I prefer to use the
> shell. I did find one mention of a recognized issue with OS X 10.5
> and R
> 2.10.1 conflicting when trying to download packages, which results
> in the
> library pathway being broken. The only problem is the fix for this
> problem
> given in the R manual doesn't work. Has anyone had a similar problem
> or have
> any ideas as to how to solve this?
It happens for me as well, but I guess I don't see it as a problem,
since I did not offer a sensible set of arguments to the function.
(Plus, I always use the GUI despite Rolf Turner's efforts to shame me
into being a terminal dude.) You may want to post follow-ups to the
Mac-SIG mailing list where this would be amore appropriate question:
https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-sig-mac
>
--
David Winsemius, MD
Heritage Laboratories
West Hartford, CT
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