[R] R linux install: FORTRAN compiling error

[Marc Schwartz]

On Jun 3, 2010, at 9:17 AM, vaneet wrote:

> 
> Thanks for your replies.
> 
> I understand you think the best solution is to find the gfortran and
> possibly libgfortran packages from the version of my Linux and gcc
> distribution which according to a quick check is the following (also this is
> a 64 bit linux machine):
> 
> gcc (GCC) 4.1.2 20080704 (Red Hat 4.1.2-48)
> Copyright (C) 2006 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
> This is free software; see the source for copying conditions.  There is NO
> warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
> 
> The question is do you know where I can find a free gfortran package from
> this distribution and would I need to completely reinstall the gcc package
> from that version that includes gfortran and other compilers or can I simply
> add gfortran to my existing packages? 
> 
> Thanks


Sorry that I am coming to this late, but is there a reason that you did not install R using already available RPMs other than perhaps not being aware that they exist?

For RHEL 4 and 5 there is the EPEL:

  https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/EPEL

which provides pre-built binaries of many add-on packages, including R. R 2.11.0 is available there and Tom Callaway posted on the Fedora SIG list this morning that 2.11.1 is in the updates testing repo.

If you do need a FORTRAN compiler, which you may yet for add-on CRAN packages, one should be available via the regular RHEL repos, for which you would have already paid for access (not to mention direct telephone support from RH). 

For RHEL 5 (based upon your followup), follow the instructions here:

  https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/EPEL/FAQ#howtouse

to gain access to the EPEL.

Then, as root, you can use:

  yum install R-core R-devel

to install R.

By staying with RPMs specifically built for your release, you tend to obviate version incompatibility issues, as Prof. Ripley has noted.

HTH,

Marc Schwartz