[R] library error on start up, error on update packages

[Prof Brian Ripley]

Please do read the rw-FAQ (as requested in the posting guide): it will 
enlighten you.

On Wed, 7 Jan 2009, Greg Blevins wrote:

> Hello,
>
> I am unable to update packages.  I am running R version 2.8.1 (2008-12-22)
> under VISTA.  When I start R I get the following error:

I presume that is *Windows* Vista (not capitalized)?

> Type 'demo()' for some demos, 'help()' for on-line help, or
> 'help.start()' for an HTML browser interface to help.
> Type 'q()' to quit R.
>
> Error in library(package, lib.loc = lib.loc, character.only = TRUE,
> logical.return = TRUE,  :
>  'datasets' is not a valid package -- installed < 2.0.0?

That seems to indicate you have a corrupt installation: we provide ways to 
check that too (see the rw-FAW).

> Then, at the > when I run Update packages I get this error: Error: could not
> find function "update.packages"
>
> In R 2.8.0 I do not get either of the above errors that I get in 2.8.1, but
> when I update packages in 2.8.0 I get the following warnings:
>
> package 'lattice' successfully unpacked and MD5 sums checked
> Warning: cannot remove prior installation of package 'lattice'
> package 'mgcv' successfully unpacked and MD5 sums checked
> Warning: cannot remove prior installation of package 'mgcv'
> package 'nlme' successfully unpacked and MD5 sums checked
> Warning: cannot remove prior installation of package 'nlme'
> package 'rpart' successfully unpacked and MD5 sums checked
> Warning: cannot remove prior installation of package 'rpart'
>
> The downloaded packages are in
>        C:\Users\Greg\AppData\Local\Temp\Rtmpyqi9OE\downloaded_packages
> updating HTML package descriptions
> Warning message:
> In file.create(f.tg) :
>  cannot create file 'C:\PROGRA~1\R\R-28~1.0/doc/html/packages.html', reason
> 'Permission denied'
>
> Finally, as a side note, perhaps, I can install new packages using the
> Install packages menu option under 2.8.1, but interestingly the newly
> installed package does not appear under C:\Program
> Files\R\R-2.8.1\Library--I have not found the location where the newly
> installed package actually resides, but R is smart enough to locate it when
> I load the package.
>
> I am wondering if I have some VISTA setting or administrative rights issue?
> Any help would be appreciated.
>
> Greg Blevins
>
>
> =====================
> Type 'demo()' for some demos, 'help()' for on-line help, or
> 'help.start()' for an HTML browser interface to help.
>
> Type 'q()' to quit R.
>
> Error in library(package, lib.loc = lib.loc, character.only = TRUE,
> logical.return = TRUE,  :
>  'datasets' is not a valid package -- installed < 2.0.0?
>
>> update.packages(ask='graphics')
> Error: could not find function "update.packages"
>
>
>> utils:::menuInstallPkgs()
> --- Please select a CRAN mirror for use in this session ---
> Error in install.packages(NULL, .libPaths()[1], dependencies = NA, type =
> type) :
>  no packages were specified
>
> -- 
> Gregory L. Blevins
> Office 952 944-5743
> Cell 612 251 0232
> gregblev at gmail.com
>
> 	[[alternative HTML version deleted]]
>
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>

-- 
Brian D. Ripley,                  ripley at stats.ox.ac.uk
Professor of Applied Statistics,  http://www.stats.ox.ac.uk/~ripley/
University of Oxford,             Tel:  +44 1865 272861 (self)
1 South Parks Road,                     +44 1865 272866 (PA)
Oxford OX1 3TG, UK                Fax:  +44 1865 272595