[R-SIG-Mac] getting history() to work

[Simon Urbanek]

David,

I think I can help you with that one -- I assume you did not hit  
<Enter>, < Tab> or any other key to commit the filename so it was  
never stored. When you're typing the file name it is not stored until  
you're finished with that field (i.e. when you close R before doing so  
it is taken as canceling the change).

I agree that it can be a source of frustration - I'll see if we can  
change the behavior to auto-commit the change when the preference pane  
is closed (it's a little tricky because the pane is sort of  
independent of the window).

Cheers,
Simon


On Apr 13, 2010, at 6:13 , David wrote:

> OK, I finally (think I) understand how the history mechanism interacts
> or fails to interact with R.app, as a result of Simon's postings---
> clarity at last! R.app still seems to be behaving strangely on my
> system---for example, I was unable to implement Rob Goedman's
> suggestions. So I proceeded as follows.
>
> 1. Use shell command to delete my plist file in ~/Library/Preferences.
> 2. Look through ~/.Rprofile to make sure there is no interaction with
> history mechanism.
> 3. Delete all other files beginning with .R in my home directory.
> 4. Upload dmg with the latest version (2.10.1) of R.app that works on
> Tiger. (Note to myself: must upgrade to Leopard.). Install 2.10.1.
> 5. If I now open R.app and then do R>Preferences>StartUp>change name
> of history file to .Rapphistory
> then close R.app using any of the R.app methods (NOT q()), then open
> R.app again, I find the SAME default entry for my history file,
> namely .Rhistory.
>
> I haven't tried direct editing of the plist file while R is closed.
>
> Further information: While closing R.app, I kept on looking at the
> plist contents. Following on 1. above, the plist file did not exist.
> The preferences menu still showed my new name, namely .Rapphistory. I
> closed the preferences window, opened it again: still .Rapphistory. I
> pressed the quit light switch on the GUI. The plist file appeared for
> the first time in ~/Library/Preferences, with
> <key>History file path used for R type history files</key>
>        <string>.Rhistory</string>
> I still had not finally quit from R.app. When asked whether I wanted
> to save or cancel or not save, I clicked on cancel. Then I went again
> to
> R>Preferences>StartUp and the name of the history file in the
> Preferences menu had reverted to .Rhistory.
>
> Can anyone think of a reason why R.app is insisting on using the
> default .Rhistory, and does not accept my attempts to change it? Are
> there any more diagnostic features I can try? Does anyone else,
> working under Tiger, find the same behaviour with 2.10.1?
>
> Thanks for any help
> David
> R 2.10.1 GUI 1.31-np Tiger build 32-bit (5538)
> MacOsX 10.4.11 running on PowerPC G4
>
>