[Rd] Install packages to non-default lib on Windows

[Seth Falcon]

We are trying to setup a Windows server that will allow any of our
users to build a binary R package given a source package.

The idea is to have a central R installation and allow users to
install packages to their own package library for the purposes of
binary package building.

It seems, however, that write access to $R_HOME is required as part of
the install step even when -l is used to specify an alternate package
library.

here's an example of what we're seeing:

C:\rlibdir\hpages>set R_LIBS=c:\rlibdir\hpages

C:\rlibdir\hpages>d:\biocbld\R-devel\bin\R CMD INSTALL -l=%R_LIBS% --build Biobase_1.6.7.tar.gz

Using auto-selected zip options 'Biobase-ZIPDATA=zip Biobase-HELP=ziponly'

---------- Making package Biobase ------------
  adding build stamp to DESCRIPTION
  installing NAMESPACE file and metadata
  making DLL ...
  ... DLL made
  installing DLL
  installing R files
  save image
Loading required package: tools
Creating a new generic function for 'ncol' in 'Biobase'

  installing inst files
  installing data files
  installing man source files
  installing indices
cannot create d:/biocbld/R-devel/doc/html/search/index.txt: permission denied
make[2]: *** [indices] Error 2
make[1]: *** [all] Error 2
make: *** [pkg-Biobase] Error 2
*** Installation of Biobase failed ***

Removing 'c:/rlibdir/hpages/Biobase'


Questions:

- Is it possible to build a binary package on Windows without write
  access to the $R_HOME tree?

- Is it still the case that a side-effect of building a binary package
  is having that package be installed?  My understanding is that R CMD
  INSTALL --build is the way to get zips on Windows, but maybe this
  changed?

Thanks,

+ seth