[R] Upgrading R means I lose my packages

[Robert A LaBudde]

At 04:12 AM 8/28/2008, ONKELINX, Thierry wrote:

>On a windows machine you get the same problem. Useless one uses tha same
>trick as Rolf suggested: don't install the packages in the default
>directory and set R_LIBS to that directory. Then all you need to do
>after an upgrade is to set R_LIBS in the new version and run
>update.package(checkBuilt = TRUE). Given Rolf's suggestion I suppose
>this trick will work on a Mac too.

What I do in installing a new version of R on a Windows system is as follows:

1. In the "c:\Program Files\R" folder, the installation is in a 
subfolder labeled by the version, such as "R-2.7.1".

2. I leave the old (say, 2.7.1) version installed, and install the 
new version (say, 2.7.2). This leaves the old subfolder "R-2.7.1" 
intact, and creates a new one "R-2.7.2".

3. I use a file-compare utility (in my case, Beyond Compare, which I 
recommend), to compare the subfolders "C:\Program 
Files\R\R-2.7.1\library" and "C:\Program Files\R\R-2.7.2\library". I 
set the comparison to find files present or newer in the 2.7.1 folder 
vs. the 2.7.2. Then I copy all such files over.

4. At this point, the 2.7.2 has the same or new packages than 2.7.1, 
most or all of which will work.

5. I use the "Packages|Update Package ..." to update packages to 2.7.2.

6. Then I delete the 2.7.1 subfolder.

You need Administrator rights to do this.




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Robert A. LaBudde, PhD, PAS, Dpl. ACAFS  e-mail: ral at lcfltd.com
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