[R] Can't there be a cd command?

[Paul Johnson]

It is a FAQ in our Linux lab.  People start emacs and fire up R via
ess, and then they have no idea 'where they are".  For computer
experts, it is not a problem, but for people who don't know much about
computers, it is a pretty big problem.  They have data in some
subdirectory, but almost invariably they don't get emacs & R started
from that same place.

Unfortunately, for our users, it does not help to simply re-label
setwd as cd.  Both commands imply a deeper understanding of the OS
than they have.  Also, unfortunately, these are the same people who
don't understand that FAQs exist and should be consulted. These people
are so new/timid that asking in r-help would be the last thing to
cross their mind.

I've wondered if it would not help to have the R prompt include the
directory name, as in an x terminal.

pj

On 5/10/06, Prof Brian Ripley <ripley at stats.ox.ac.uk> wrote:

>
> Exactly.  I don't think I have ever used setwd() on Linux.
>
> Also, I have never seen this asked before for a Unix-alike, so it seems
> not to be a >F<AQ.  There is a common tendency for users who run into a
> problem to think everyone does too, and it isn't necessarily so.
> Frequently asked questions do make it to the FAQs: it is a defence
> mechanism for the volunteers supporting R.
>
> help.search("directory")  gets you there.
>
> --
> Brian D. Ripley,                  ripley at stats.ox.ac.uk
> Professor of Applied Statistics,  http://www.stats.ox.ac.uk/~ripley/
> University of Oxford,             Tel:  +44 1865 272861 (self)
> 1 South Parks Road,                     +44 1865 272866 (PA)
> Oxford OX1 3TG, UK                Fax:  +44 1865 272595
>
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--
Paul E. Johnson
Professor, Political Science
1541 Lilac Lane, Room 504
University of Kansas