[R] Windows standard interface: change working dorectory

[Robert Baer]

One of the things that has really simplified things for my students is 
using RStudio to run R, and then always creating (working within) an 
RProject.

The location of the RProject becomes the default location (home folder) 
for all related files in the project.  It dispenses with having to teach 
the students too much about absolute and relative paths, and it is very 
flexible in the sense that you can move a folder from one drive to 
another or from one computer to another, and things still work as long 
as you start R (RStudio) with the same project selected.

I had no end of agony with "path confusion" before using this approach.

Rob

On 12/8/2025 5:22 AM, Calboli Federico (LUKE) wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I need to provide the simplest possible indication to R users with either windows or macos machines on how to change working directory. Using setwd() will not work because I cannot trust them to even understand the concept of working directory.
>
> On macos it is possible to have a GUI menu (the standard R GUI) that would allow the users to "click their way to where their data files are", is there such facility for the windows R GUI (the out-of-the-box one)? I have no access to windows machines, so I cannot check, but I am sure some people will use a windows laptop.
>
> F
>
>
> --
>
> Federico Calboli
>
> Erityisasiantuntija, tutkimusrahoitus
>
> Palveluryhm�t
>
> Luonnonvarakeskus
>
> 	[[alternative HTML version deleted]]
>
>
> ______________________________________________
> R-help using r-project.org mailing list -- To UNSUBSCRIBE and more, see
> https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-help
> PLEASE do read the posting guide https://www.R-project.org/posting-guide.html
> and provide commented, minimal, self-contained, reproducible code.

-- 
---
Robert W. Baer, Ph.D.
Professor of Physiology
Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine
A.T. Still Univerisity of Health Sciences
800 W. Jefferson St.
Kirksville, MO 63501