I have a question about how one can modify or override the compilers
that R uses for package installations?  Or if perhaps this configuration
is in some editable file somewhere.

Initially I built the version of R 2.15.1 on Solaris SPARC (virtual T4),
but found out the build was done as 32 bit.  After some research, I
found that the pre-compiled GCC version I had only allowed for 32 bit.
I wanted 64 bit.  Therefore I ended up download the SunStudio compilers
(12.1 version) and was able to export the compiler commands (per the R
manual) and get a 64 bit version running.  The problem I have now is
that I am trying to install the GBM package from CRAN (and from source
as well.)  What I find is that something keeps trying to run "c++"
during compilation.  Since I only have the SUN compiler the file is
named "CC" not "c++".  How do I override this?

I've tried the following with no success:
1. EXPORT CXX to point to my CC compiler (eg export
CXX='/opt/SUNWspro/bin/CC')
2. Create an alias to c++ (eg alias c++='/opt/SUNWspro/bin/CC')
3. I even tried to create a symlink for g++: ln -s /opt/SUNWspro/bin/CC
c++

However none of these seem to work and I get the following error:
># /usr/local/bin/R CMD INSTALL  /export/home/downloads>
* installing to library '/usr/local/lib/R/library'
* installing *source* package 'gbm' ...
** package 'gbm' successfully unpacked and MD5 sums checked
** libs
c++ -m64 -I/usr/local/lib/R/include -DNDEBUG  -I/usr/local/include
-KPIC   -c adaboost.cpp -o adaboost.o
bash: c++: command not found
*** Error code 127
make: Fatal error: Command failed for target `adaboost.o'
ERROR: compilation failed for package 'gbm'
* removing '/usr/local/lib/R/library/gbm'

Is there some environment variable or config file I can temporarily
override this setting?  My first thought was that I can try to build GCC
from source, but I've spent two days trying to get that to work no
success.  In addition, trying to download the version from sun-freeware
did not appear to work as well.  Therefore that's why I am looking at
this direction to see if there is a way I can get this package
installed?  I will note that if I manually compile the GBM source using
"CC" it compiles fine.  I just think something in R is overriding this.
I tried installing from both the CRAN download as well as GBM source and
get the same error.  I don't see any configuration in the GBM tar ball
so I assume that there is some standard packaging or configuration that
R has when developing packages (have not fully read through those docs
yet.)

Any thoughts or pointers?

Thanks in advance.

Anthony


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