[R] problem installing packages from source on win2k

[Marc Schwartz]

On Tue, 2003-06-17 at 12:21, Simon Cawley wrote:
> 
> On 13 Jun 2003, Marc Schwartz wrote:
> > 
> > ...Lengthy notes SNIPPED
> > 
> > Simon, 
> > 
> > Unless I am missing something here, I think that you are making this
> > more difficult than you need to.
> > 
> > Thanks I believe to Uwe Ligges, there appears to be a version of the
> > fields package already compiled for R 1.7.x on Windows at:
> > 
> > http://cran.r-project.org/bin/windows/contrib/1.7/fields_1.3-1.zip
> > 
> > Is there a reason that you cannot use this?
> > 
> > HTH,
> > 
> > Marc Schwartz
> 
> Thanks Marc, but I was just using compilation of the fields package as
> an example.
> 
> What I'm really trying to resolve here is how to compile my own
> packages on win2k, compilation of existing well-tested packages is
> just a step along the way.
> 
> -S


Simon, 

Fair enough.  I think that others have already pointed to specific
issues relative to the lack of the MS help compiler in the errors that
you were getting, but more generically, let me point you to Prof.
Ripley's page which provides more detail on the overall process of
compiling R and packages under Windows:

http://www.stats.ox.ac.uk/pub/Rtools/

Links are provided there for securing the various components required,
including Prof. Ripley's Tool bundle, which is essential and invaluable
in these efforts. There is also a link there to get the MS Help compiler
for generating the .CHM files, which is the error you experienced.

Be sure to read, thoroughly, the readme files and directions Prof.
Ripley has included as the details, especially environmental
configuration, are critical.

Lastly, be sure to read "Writing R Extensions' if you have not already.
This is one of the documentation manuals provided in the distribution
and available from the help menu in RGui.

HTH,

Marc