[R] question about using a remote system

[Mark Wardle]

I've not ever tried something like this. You didn't quite answer the
question though. Do you need interactive sessions, or are users
choosing from a number of batch jobs?

If the latter, then perhaps you would be better forsaking Rcmdr (which
I have not used) and instead consider a shell-based, or web-based
interface (have you seen Rweb?). I presume by "job" you mean batch
jobs that are pre-written?

If you need an interactive session, then I can't see any easy way of
doing as you describe. I was waiting for someone else to suggest
something. My only suggestion would be to look at the unix program
"screen". You could then have a simple click-on application (shell
script or something) that connects to your remote system, runs screen,
gives them a prompt, and allows them to run arbitrary R interactive
sessions. For long-running tasks, they can then detach the screen and
leave it running on  the remote system.

I'm only guessing at your specific requirements here as I don't have
enough information about exactly you want to do!

Best wishes,

Mark



2009/5/28 Erin Hodgess <erinm.hodgess at gmail.com>:
> My goal is for a user to sit down at a Linux laptop, get to an Rcmdr
> type screen, submit jobs on a remote system and then get the results
> back in R.
>
> We will assume that the user is naive, and the only thing he/she can
> do is get to the Rcmdr screen.
>
> The Rcmdr plugin will have a "submit jobs" menu.  The user presses
> that option, and gets results, without having to know the "underside".
>
> thanks,
> Erin
>
> On Thu, May 28, 2009 at 1:54 AM, Mark Wardle <mark at wardle.org> wrote:
>> Hi.
>>
>> Do you need an interactive session at the remote machine, or are you
>> simply wanting to run a pre-written script?
>>
>> If the latter, then you can ask ssh to execute a remote command, which
>> conceivably could be "R CMD xxxxx"
>>
>> If you explain exactly why and what you are trying to do, then perhaps
>> there's a better solution....
>>
>> bw
>>
>> Mark
>>
>> 2009/5/28 Erin Hodgess <erinm.hodgess at gmail.com>:
>>> Dear R People:
>>>
>>> I would like to set up a plug-in for Rcmdr to do the following:
>>>
>>> I would start on a Linux laptop.  Then I would log into another
>>> outside system and run a some commands.
>>>
>>> Now, when I tried to do
>>> system("ssh erin at xxx.edu")
>>> password xxxxxx
>>>
>>> It goes to the remote system.  how do I continue to issue commands
>>> from the Linux laptop please?
>>>
>>> (hope this makes sense)
>>>
>>> thanks,
>>> Erin
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Erin Hodgess
>>> Associate Professor
>>> Department of Computer and Mathematical Sciences
>>> University of Houston - Downtown
>>> mailto: erinm.hodgess at gmail.com
>>>
>>> ______________________________________________
>>> R-help at r-project.org mailing list
>>> https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-help
>>> PLEASE do read the posting guide http://www.R-project.org/posting-guide.html
>>> and provide commented, minimal, self-contained, reproducible code.
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Dr. Mark Wardle
>> Specialist registrar, Neurology
>> Cardiff, UK
>>
>
>
>
> --
> Erin Hodgess
> Associate Professor
> Department of Computer and Mathematical Sciences
> University of Houston - Downtown
> mailto: erinm.hodgess at gmail.com
>
>



-- 
Dr. Mark Wardle
Specialist registrar, Neurology
Cardiff, UK