INSTALL {base}R Documentation

Install Add-on Packages

Description

Utility for installing add-on packages.

Usage

R CMD INSTALL [options] [-l lib] pkgs

Arguments

pkgs A list with the path names of the packages to be installed.
lib the path name of the R library tree to install to.
options a list of options through which in particular the process for building the help files can be controlled.

Details

If used as R CMD INSTALL pkgs without explicitly specifying lib, packages are installed into the library tree rooted at the first directory given in \$R\_LIBS if this is set and non-null, and to the default library tree (which is rooted at `$R_HOME/library') otherwise.

To install into the library tree lib, use R CMD INSTALL -l lib pkgs.

Both lib and the elements of pkgs may be absolute or relative path names. pkgs can also contain name of package archive files of the form `pkg_version.tar.gz' as obtained from CRAN, these are then extracted in a temporary directory.

Some package sources contain a `configure' script that can be passed arguments or variables via the option --configure-args and --configure-vars, respectively, if necessary. The latter is useful in particular if libraries or header files needed for the package are in non-system directories. In this case, one can use the configure variables LIBS and CPPFLAGS to specify these locations (and set these via --configure-vars). One can also bypass the configure mechanism using the option --no-configure.

If --no-docs is given, no help files are built. Options --no-text, --no-html, and --no-latex suppress creating the text, HTML, and LaTeX versions, respectively. The default is to build help files in all three versions.

If the option --save is used, the installation procedure creates a binary image of the package code, which is then loaded when the package is attached, rather than evaluating the package source at that time. Having a file `INSTALL.R' in the package directory (its contents don't matter) makes this the default behavior for the package (option --no-save overrides). You may need --save if your package requires other packages to evaluate its own source.

Use R CMD INSTALL --help for more usage information.

See Also

REMOVE, update.packages for automatic update of packages using the internet; the chapter on ``Creating R packages'' in ``Writing R Extensions'' (see the `doc/manual' subdirectory of the R source tree).