INSTALL                 package: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 the environment variable `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'), see section
     `Configuration variables' in ``R Installation and Adminstration''
     for more information.  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
     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.  If the file
     `install.R' is non-empty, it should contain R expressions to be
     executed when the package is attached, after loading the saved
     image.  Options to be passed to R when creating the save image can
     be specified via `--save=ARGS'.

     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).

