[R] setting a large value of --max-vsize

[Shlomo Ahal]

Hello,
I'm using a 64bit Linux with 16GB of RAM. I'd like to limit the memory
that the R process can use so I'm trying to use --max-vsize switch.
However, it is seems that I can't enforce a limit above 2GB.


shlomo at hippo:~$ uname -a
Linux hippo 2.6.24-16-generic #1 SMP Thu Apr 10 12:47:45 UTC 2008
x86_64 GNU/Linux


This WORKS:
--------------------

shlomo at hippo:~$ R --max-vsize=250M -e "mem.limits()"

R version 2.6.2 (2008-02-08)
Copyright (C) 2008 The R Foundation for Statistical Computing
ISBN 3-900051-07-0

R is free software and comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY.
You are welcome to redistribute it under certain conditions.
Type 'license()' or 'licence()' for distribution details.

R is a collaborative project with many contributors.
Type 'contributors()' for more information and
'citation()' on how to cite R or R packages in publications.

Type 'demo()' for some demos, 'help()' for on-line help, or
'help.start()' for an HTML browser interface to help.
Type 'q()' to quit R.

> mem.limits()
     nsize      vsize
        NA 2097152008
>


But this DOESNT
---------------------------


 shlomo at hippo:~$ R --max-vsize=260M -e "mem.limits()"

R version 2.6.2 (2008-02-08)
Copyright (C) 2008 The R Foundation for Statistical Computing
ISBN 3-900051-07-0

R is free software and comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY.
You are welcome to redistribute it under certain conditions.
Type 'license()' or 'licence()' for distribution details.

R is a collaborative project with many contributors.
Type 'contributors()' for more information and
'citation()' on how to cite R or R packages in publications.

Type 'demo()' for some demos, 'help()' for on-line help, or
'help.start()' for an HTML browser interface to help.
Type 'q()' to quit R.

> mem.limits()
nsize vsize
   NA    NA
>




I'd appreciate any insights how to set the limit correctly. Also, I'm
assuming that enforcing memory limits by setting the shell ulimits is
not equivalent to setting the mem limits within R since gc behaviour
is dependent on vsize and nsize limits, right?

Thanks,
Shlomo