Software for 431

Published

2023-07-27

The course makes heavy use of the R statistical programming language, and several related tools, most especially the RStudio development environment. Every bit of this software is free to use, and open-source.

You will need access to a computer to do your work for this class, not just an iPad or other tablet, but an actual computer. You do not need a state of the art machine, nor should you need any special hardware to run things for this course.

More details on hardware requirements and some related issues can be found in the Required Software section of the Course Syllabus.

Installing R and R Studio

The steps you need to complete are:

  1. Download and install the latest version of R (version 4.3.1 or later) from https://cran.case.edu/ or, if you prefer, from https://cloud.r-project.org/ which automatically chooses a fast, nearby mirror for you.
    • If you have a pre-existing installation of R and/or RStudio, we highly recommend that you re-install both to get current.
  2. Download and install RStudio Desktop (Open Source Edition - the free version 2023.06.1+524 or later) by visiting https://posit.co/download/rstudio-desktop/.

Installing R Packages and Data/Code for 431

After you’ve completed steps 1 and 2 above, move on to these tasks:

  1. Install some R packages - an R “package” is a collection of functions, data, and documentation that extends the capabilities of R, and is the critical way to get R doing interesting work.
  2. Download data and code (functions) we’ve developed specifically for 431 at https://github.com/THOMASELOVE/431-data.
    • Follow the instructions you’ll find there.

Need Installation Help?

If you need more help, you might look at this terrific resource for Installing R and RStudio from Jenny Bryan and the STAT 545 project. These are the people responsible for the great Happy Git with R project, which will also be worth your time when we are using Git and GitHub.

  • If you’re having trouble with installation before our first class, don’t worry too much. The TAs and Professor Love will be available to help once the class gets going.
  • Once the class starts, if you’re having installation problems or problems getting started in R, please consider visiting TA office hours or perhaps asking a question on Campuswire. We want to hear from you!

Updating Your R Packages

Every once in a while, it’s a good idea to update your R packages. To do so,

  1. Go to the Packages tab on the right side of your RStudio screen, and click on Update.
  2. This will bring up a dialog box. I usually click Select All, then click Install Updates.
  • A popup box may appear, asking “Do you want to install from sources the packages which need compilation?” to which I usually answer No. A Yes response leads to a slower installation, but can solve problems if you still have them after updating.
  • This may take a few minutes. As long as you’re seeing activity in the Console window, things are progressing.
  • Eventually, you’ll get a message that “The downloaded source packages are in …” with a directory name. That’s the sign that the updating is done.
  • Updating packages is something you’ll do occasionally throughout the semester, mostly when a problem happens.
  1. Finally, choose File … Quit Session from the top menu, and accept or deny (I usually deny) RStudio’s request to save your workspace. Then close RStudio, and re-open it if you want to do some work.