[R] issue accessing help files

[Duncan Murdoch]

On 12-09-20 6:58 PM, Basil Iannone wrote:
> Hi Duncan,
>
> The output I see after typing ?mean is
>
> starting httpd help server ... done
>
> Then the browser opens but goes nowhere. I just see a black IE page with no
> address in the address bar.
>
> OK. I tried what you suggested. I typed the following
>
> tools:::httpdPort
> [1] 17081
>
> I then pasted the following link into my IE address bar (replacing the
> 25567 with 17081).
>
> http://127.0.0.1:17081/library/base/html/mean.html
>
> Doing so took me to the page describing the mean.
>
> Thanks for the help. Please keep me posted as to if the above information
> helps you out. In the mean time I will access the files as you suggested.

That tells me that the server is running properly, but somehow IE isn't 
getting the message that it should go to that page.

Could you try the same procedure (the port might be different next time, 
better check), but instead of starting IE and pasting the URL there, 
paste the URL into the Run box in the start menu?  That does something 
pretty close to what R does.  If it fails the way R did, then the 
problem is with IE, not with R; if that works, then likely the problem 
is with something in R.

If it does show up as a problem in R, could you run the following:

setInternet2(NA) # reports the proxy setting
setInternet2(FALSE) # turns it off
?mean

I don't normally use a proxy.  When I turn it on, things are very slow, 
but they still work.  (I assume the system looks for a proxy, then gives 
up and runs the regular code.)  It could be something like that is 
happening to you, or perhaps you are running a proxy, and it doesn't 
know what to do with the local connection that R is asking for.

Duncan Murdoch

>
> On Thu, Sep 20, 2012 at 2:22 PM, Duncan Murdoch <murdoch.duncan at gmail.com>wrote:
>
>> On 20/09/2012 2:14 PM, Basil Iannone wrote:
>>
>>> Okay. I installed the newest version of R and I still cannot link to help
>>> files. Is anyone else having this problem? Again, I am using Window's XP.
>>>
>>
>> I don't think you've told us what output you get when you ask for help.
>>   Here's what I see from ?mean:
>>
>> First, this appears in the R console:
>>
>> starting httpd help server ... done
>>
>> then the browser opens, with something like this showing:
>>
>> http://127.0.0.1:25567/**library/base/html/mean.html<http://127.0.0.1:25567/library/base/html/mean.html>
>>
>> You're not getting the second part; do you get the first?
>>
>> If so, here's something to try.  From with R, print the value of
>> tools:::httpdPort:
>>
>>> tools:::httpdPort
>> [1] 25567
>>
>> You'll probably get a different number than I did.  Then, with R still
>> open, go to IE, and enter the URL I give above (i.e.
>> http://127.0.0.1:25567/**library/base/html/mean.html<http://127.0.0.1:25567/library/base/html/mean.html>),
>> with 25567 replaced by whatever port number you have.  Tell us what happens.
>>
>> In the meantime, you can go back to the old text style help with
>>
>> options(help_type="text")
>>
>> You won't get links between pages or some other fancy stuff from the HTML
>> pages, but you should get to see something.
>>
>> Duncan Murdoch
>>
>>
>>
>>> Thanks for the help.
>>>
>>> On Thu, Sep 20, 2012 at 12:23 PM, Basil Iannone <bianno2 at gmail.com>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> I apologize. I meant to type "help(anova)" and not "Help(anova)". I am
>>>> installing the newest version later today after I complete some
>>> analyses. I
>>>> will let everyone know if doing so solves my problem.
>>>>
>>>> Thanks,
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Thu, Sep 20, 2012 at 11:46 AM, R. Michael Weylandt <
>>>> michael.weylandt at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> On Thu, Sep 20, 2012 at 4:20 PM, Basil Iannone <bianno2 at gmail.com>
>>> wrote:
>>>>>> Hi Heramb,
>>>>>>
>>>>>> No "Help(anova)" does not work either. Thanks for the suggestions. I
>>> put
>>>>>> the question out there in case anyone else was having similar
>>> problems.
>>>>> I
>>>>>> think I will throw in the towel and install the latest version of R
>>> to
>>>>> see
>>>>>> if that resolves the issue.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Thanks
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> "Help(anova)" should not work. R is case sensitive -- did "help(anova)"
>>>>> work?
>>>>>
>>>>> Michael
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Basil Iannone
>>>> University of Illinois at Chicago
>>>> Department of Biological Sciences (MC 066)
>>>> 845 W. Taylor St.
>>>> Chicago, IL  60607-7060
>>>> Email: bianno2 at uic.edu
>>>> Phone: 312-355-3231
>>>> Fax: 312-413-2435
>>>> http://www2.uic.edu/~bianno2
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>
>