Installing R on BigRed

File contents

Before proceeding, you will need a install directory for your efforts (I'm assuming the reader is not a root admin).

So, create a directory - say tempInstall. I'm assuming you are doing this at your home directory.

Next, download R-2.5.1.tar.gz - I'm assuming this will also be at your home directory.

Now, gunzip R-2.5.1.tar.gz

Then, run this command:
	tar fx R-2.5.1.tar

You should see a directory by the name R-2.5.1

	cd R-2.5.1

To be safe, type the command:
	mkdir aBuild
	cd aBuild

Essentially, we are building everything in the aBuild directory - helps to prevent the 'source' stays clean.

Next, type this
	../configure --prefix=PATH_TO_YOUR_HOME/tempInstall --enable-R-shlib --enable-BLAS-shlib

The --prefix tells where the install directory will be; you will need to change PATH_TO_YOUR_HOME to be the actual path to your home directory. Again, I'm assuming you created the tempInstall directory in your home directory.  

The second option creates the shared libraries for R. Not sure this is a good idea or not.
***NOTE:  I'm serious about not knowing if this is a good idea or not.  R is used by GRASS - we just are not sure how yet.  So, in the long run, we may need to move to non-shared.  And, I'm not sure about the performance hit, if any, when running on clusters.

The last has R create a shared library of BLAS. Again, working out if this is a good idea or not.
***NOTE:  I'm serious about not knowing if this is a good idea or not.  We may eventually default to non-shared.  And, I'm not sure about the performance hit, if any, when running on clusters.

Otherwise, all will be fine - Except for 1 warning.  Namely, the warning will tell you the HTML and Info files cannot be built.  This is expected (see later in this document).

If all goes well, you get a list of what has been configured.

Next, type
	make

This will build - it will take a bit.

When done, if you have no reported errors, type

	make check

This runs a set of tests. Assuming all is well, there should be no errors.

Next, normally, I'd say "let's generate some docs."  However, there is errors that arise while attempting this.

	make dvi  --- error results from inability to find texindex.
	make pdf  --- error results from inability to find texindex.

NOTE: Info and html files cannot be generated - we don't have the necessary programs installed (program is makeinfo).

At this point, we should be ready to install. So, type the following:

	make install

If the problems with building dvi and pdf is resolved, can use these as well:
	make install-dvi 
	make install-pdf

And, everything should be in tempInstall.

Okay, to clean up.

Type
	make clean
	make distclean

Then, go to the home directory and type

	rm -rf R-2.5.1

Code is now gone.

Only thing left is to add the tempInstall to your PATH, LIB, and MAN pages.