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

[Duncan Murdoch]

Seth Falcon wrote:
> 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?

There are two ways:  R CMD INSTALL --build, and R CMD build --binary. 
The latter doesn't do an install, so the links in help pages don't get 
generated properly, but it may do a good enough job for what you need.

Duncan Murdoch