[R] Create png graph from script?

[garry.kremer@convergys.com]

I am looking for a way to create png format files from a script that runs
from crontab.   I would like to avoid ghostscript or depending on a
particular x11 device being available.     Any help is appreciated.
Details below.

I am running R Version 1.4.1 on Solaris 2.6.

If I can rely on an x11 device being available I can achieve the result as
follows:

   $ /fred/R-1.4.1/bin/R --no-save <rbatchtest

   $ cat rbatchtest
   x11("10.20.30.400:0")
   png(filename="batchtest.png")
   plot(1,1)
   dev.off()
   $

If I try to run this without the x11 command I get the following error:
   Error in X11(paste("png::", filename, sep = ""), width, height,
   pointsize,  :
           unable to start device PNG
   In addition: Warning message:
   unable to open connection to X11 display`'
   Execution halted

I'm not comfortable about relying on an x11 device to be available in the
middle of the night when the script runs from cron.

I know I can create postscript and rely on ghostscript to do the conversion
but the ghostscript licensing is a concern.

Is there such a concept as a "dummy" x11 device or other creative solution?

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