[R] Configuring R-2.10 help html server on Linux?

[Marc Schwartz]

On Nov 23, 2009, at 6:01 PM, Rolf Turner wrote:

>
> On 24/11/2009, at 12:21 PM, Tom Wainwright wrote:
>
>> Hi,
>>
>> My Fedora 11 linux (version 2.6.30.9-96.fc11.x86_64 #1 SMP Wed Nov  
>> 4 00:02:04
>> EST 2009) recently updated me to R-2.10.0, and help.start() is no  
>> longer
>> working.  I see in the release notes that R now uses an internal  
>> web server to
>> autogenerate help pages.  Here's what I'm getting:
>>
>> IN R:
>>
>>> help.start()
>>    starting httpd help server ... done
>>    If '/usr/bin/xdg-open' is already running, it is *not*  
>> restarted, and
>>        you must switch to its window.
>>    Otherwise, be patient ...
>>>
>>
>> IN Firefox:
>>
>> Firefox starts up, but gets a "connection refused" error:
>>
>>    While trying to retrieve the URL: http://127.0.0.1:11586/doc/html/index.html
>>    The following error was encountered:
>>        * Connection to 127.0.0.1 Failed
>>    The system returned:
>>        (111) Connection refused
>>
>> I have checked all my firewall settings, and as far as I can tell  
>> the connection
>> should be allowed.  In fact, and unexpectedly, if I try on the  
>> command line:
>> 	wget http://127.0.0.1:11586/doc/html/index.html
>> the index document is returned, so I know the R server is running  
>> OK on that
>> port, but apparently refusing the connection to Firefox.
>>
>> Has anyone else had a similar experience or have any wild guesses  
>> about a solution?
>
> I had a similar experience on my IMac (Mac OS X Version 10.4.11) ---  
> but the error
> message made some mention of ``proxies''.  The problem got fixed by  
> adjusting
> the Firefox preferences.  On the Mac the appropriate set of clicks is
> Advanced --> Network --- Configure how Firefox connects to the  
> Internet (Settings)
>
> Then (I think!) the key was to click on/activate ``Manual proxy  
> configuration'', and
> then to make sure that ``127.0.0.1'' appears in the window labelled  
> ``No Proxy for:''.
>
> This is all Mac stuff, and it's not at all clear to me that it will  
> translate to the
> Linux setting, but it *might* give you somewhere to start.  Good luck.


The proxy issue is referenced in ?tools::startDynamicHelp, which is  
linked from ?help.start:

"Details

...

The browser in use does need to be able to connect to the loopback  
interface: occasionally it is set to use a proxy for HTTP on all  
interfaces, which will not work – the solution is to add an exception  
for 127.0.0.1.

..."



The Firefox configuration/preference dialogs are similar across OSs,  
albeit on OSX they are at the top of the display rather than on the  
Firefox application window frame as on other OSs. Here is link to the  
Mozilla support site:

http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Options+window+-+Advanced+panel#Network_tab


HTH,

Marc Schwartz