[R] RODBC Error

[Marc Schwartz]

On Oct 18, 2010, at 5:23 AM, Paolo Agnolucci wrote:

> Hi Everyone,
> 
> I am trying to install RODBC but I get the following error message
> 
> Error in library.dynam(lib, package, package.lib) :
>  shared library 'RODBC' not found
> In addition: Warning message:
> package 'RODBC' was built under R version 2.12.0
> Error: package/namespace load failed for 'RODBC'
> 
> I am using R 2.11.0 and I see that the package was built with 2.12.0.
> However, this has in my experience never been a problem with other packages
> I have downloaded in the past. A warning gets issued but that is it. Older
> versions of RODBC are only in the tar.gz and frankly I have no idea how to
> compile the source code as my IT knowledge is quite limited. Same applies to
> 2.12.0 for which I couldnt find any .zip file.
> 
> Any help?
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Ron


Don't download the package directly. Use:

  install.packages("RODBC")

from the R command line or from the Windows GUI package menu.

Either approach, I believe, should by default point to the 2.11.x CRAN tree and allow you to install the proper version of the package.

If, for some reason, you must download the package, use:

  http://cran.r-project.org/bin/windows/contrib/2.11/RODBC_1.3-2.zip

There are Windows binary versions of the CRAN packages in that tree for 2.11.x.

There have been significant changes made in 2.12.0 relative to Windows (dealing with the merging of 64/32 bit versions). Thus if you are running an older version of R, you will have problems with the latest binary builds of CRAN packages. This is not the first time that substantive changes have been made to R, where old packages may not be upwardly compatible and/or where you may get warnings.

Such changes are typically referenced in the relevant FAQs, README files, manuals and other docs as may be appropriate. For example:

  http://cran.us.r-project.org/bin/windows/base/CHANGES.R-2.12.0.html

HTH,

Marc Schwartz