The R Project SVN R

\name{INSTALL}
\title{Install Add-on Packages from Sources}
\alias{INSTALL}
\usage{R CMD INSTALL [options] [-l lib] pkgs}
\arguments{
  \item{pkgs}{A list with the path names of the sources of the
    packages to be installed.}
  \item{lib}{the path name of the \R library tree to install to.}
  \item{options}{a space-separated list of options through which in
    particular the process for building the help files can be
    Options should only be given once, and paths including spaces should
    be quoted.
    Use \code{R CMD INSTALL --help} for the current list of options.}
}
\description{
  To install packages into the default library tree (which is rooted at
  \file{\$R\_HOME/library}), do \code{R CMD INSTALL pkgs}.

  To install into the library tree \code{lib} instead of the default
  one, use \code{R CMD INSTALL -l lib pkgs}.
}
\details{
  Windows Perl and the files for installing from source packages need to
  be installed.
  
  Both \code{lib} and the elements of \code{pkgs} may be absolute or
  relative path names. \code{pkgs} can also contain name of package
  archive files of the form \file{pkg\_version.tar.gz} as obtained from
  CRAN (these are then extracted in a temporary directory
  \file{R.INSTALL} of the current directory).

  If the option \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 \file{install.R} in the package directory
  makes this the default behavior for the package (option
  \option{--no-save} overrides).  You may need  \option{--save} if your
  package requires other packages to evaluate its own source.  If the
  file \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 \option{--save=ARGS}.

  Which forms of help are produced is controlled by the \option{--docs}
  option which takes values \code{none} or \code{normal} (text and HTML)
  or \code{chm} (the default, text, HTML and CHTML) or \code{winhlp} or
  \code{all} (adding old-style Windows \code{.hlp} files, no longer tested).

  Use \code{R CMD INSTALL --help} for more usage information.
}

\section{Packages using the methods package}{
  Packages that require the methods package, and that use functions such
  as \code{\link[methods]{setMethod}} or \code{\link[methods]{setClass}},
  should be installed by creating a binary image.

  The presence of a file named
  \file{install.R} in the package's main directory causes an image to
  be saved.  Note that the file is not in the \file{R} subdirectory: all
  the code in that subdirectory is used to construct the binary image.

  Normally, the file \file{install.R} will be empty; if it does contain
  R expressions
  these will be evaluated when the package is attached, e.g. by a call to
  the function \code{\link{library}}.  (Specifically, the source code
  evaluated for a package with a saved image consists of a suitable
  definition of \code{.First.lib} to ensure loading of the saved
  image, followed by the R code in file \file{install.R}, if any.)

}
\seealso{
  \code{\link{REMOVE}} and \code{\link{library}} for information on
  using several library trees;
  \code{\link{update.packages}} for automatic update of packages using
  the internet;
  the chapter on \dQuote{Creating R packages} in \dQuote{Writing \R
    Extensions} (see the \file{doc/manual} subdirectory of the \R source
  tree).
}
\keyword{utilities}