CODEWITHSUNDEEP
rubunturstudio
BBrill
BBrill

Reputation: 1942

Compile an older R version and switch between versions in Ubuntu and RStudio

I just made the switch from Windows to Ubuntu. In windows I had the possibility to change the R version used in Rstudio IDE with Tools -> Global options -> R versions.

This is not possible in Ubuntu in the same way, indeed the R versions menu does not appear in Ubuntu version of RStudio (why??). Could you help me in finding the good solution for switching among different, already installed versions of R, in Ubuntu?

The switch among different versions is important for satisfying packages modifications and making old scripts working.

Upvotes: 2

Views: 6191

Answers (1)

BBrill
BBrill

Reputation: 1942

I apologize was not a great question, but more of the kind: "please help me, I'm desperate, I've loose all my Windows habs!" ;)

So if anyone like me want to make the switch from Windows to Ubuntu here is how you can compile an older R version and switch between versions using RStudio. As already @Andrie commented out here are some informations, however not complete https://support.rstudio.com/hc/en-us/articles/200486138-Using-Different-Versions-of-R.

You already have the R version provided by Ubuntu Software Center or a more recent version but you need an older version to run an old important script?

First you need to compile the desired R version from source. In Ubuntu updating R to a newer version leave you with one only version (the updated ones) and not two the older and the new like in Win.

Let's go to the shell and install all you need to build R from source

sudo apt-get build-dep r-base

to install all libraries you will need for compiling. (look also here http://cran.us.r-project.org/bin/linux/ubuntu/)

  1. Download the version you need on CRAN /bin/linux/ubuntu/MyUbuntu(trusty,precise,lucid) The archive you need is something like:

r-base_TheVersionIWant.orig.tar.gz

  1. Extract it in a directory (maybe ~/R)

then (in the shell) enter the top directory of the unpacked archive

then you can read the INSTALL file, and run configure with the --enable-R-shlib option (otherwise you will not be able once compiled to run it in RStudio)

./configure --enable-R-shlib && make

then following the INSTALL file

make check 
make pdf
make info

If all was ok, you can tell R studio where find the bin/R file it needs

export RSTUDIO_WHICH_R= myPahtTo/bin/R

and fire rstudio with

rstudio

You have an RStudio version running the desired R Version. When you will close the terminal and the rstudio session you will come back to the system default version of R. Then repeat just the last two lines to come back when you want.

Upvotes: 5

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