Re: [Rd] Feature request: Change default library path on Windows
Thank you for the update. Really helpful! Between this and the unicode changes, the next version will have a very positive impact on Windows users. Best, Steve On Mon, Dec 13, 2021 at 1:02 PM Tomas Kalibera wrote: > The default was now changed in R-devel to the local application data > (e.g. C:\Users\username\AppData\Local), which should solve the issues > with synchronization/backup/etc services and seems to be more in line > with conventions for the OS. It is a hidden folder, to open in Windows > explorer one can use e.g. shell.exec() from R. > > Best > Tomas > > On 7/27/21 1:12 PM, Tomas Kalibera wrote: > > On 7/26/21 1:44 AM, Steve Haroz wrote: > >> Thanks Ben. I just sent a request for a bugzilla login. > >> Jeroen chimed in earlier in support. > > > > Please note this has been reported, discussed and considered already, > > last time in PR#17842 (though proposing a different replacement for > > the default). > > > > I think changing the default from user documents to something else > > would make sense to consider together with some other breaking change > > for users, not in isolation, if at all. While the change may help > > users with a quota on the documents directory (e.g. shared on a cloud, > > backup, etc), it will make it harder to find the library for others, > > who would not notice the change to the documented behavior, and I > > assume that would still be a much larger group. > > > > Of course it does not help that it is not clear what the correct > > location should be now, and certainly there is little hope it won't > > change again, soon. My understanding is that the choice was originally > > correct when made, following the Microsoft guidelines. > > > > As discussed here as well, users may choose their own library path > > (?.libPaths). > > > > The installation location for R itself can be changed e.g. via /DIR > > option of the installer (see /?). This is useful e.g. when installing > > R only for the current user (/CURRENTUSER) and it impacts also the > > location of the library - it is then inside the given tree. > > > > Best > > Tomas > > > > > > > >> > >> Cheers, > >> Steve > >> > >> __ > >> R-devel@r-project.org mailing list > >> https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-devel > [[alternative HTML version deleted]] __ R-devel@r-project.org mailing list https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-devel
Re: [Rd] Feature request: Change default library path on Windows
Thanks Ben. I just sent a request for a bugzilla login. Jeroen chimed in earlier in support. Cheers, Steve __ R-devel@r-project.org mailing list https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-devel
Re: [Rd] Feature request: Change default library path on Windows
> So I would say that I still believe Microsoft doesn't give clear > guidance for this. Sure, there is some ambiguity on where MS would prefer these kinds of files. But what is clear is that the current location USER/Documents is causing a serious issue. And while we can all understand frustration with Microsoft, Windows users represent a major proportion of the R install base. So let's see what we can do to help out those users. Changing the default location to either USER/R or USER/AppData/Local/R would help a lot of users, both beginners and those with moderate experience who switch to a new cloud backup. Microsoft is unlikely to put out new guidance any time soon. And the current guidance doesn't seem opposed to putting R libraries in either suggested location. So how about we just pick one (I suggest USER/R for simplicity) and discuss how to go about making the change? -Steve __ R-devel@r-project.org mailing list https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-devel
Re: [Rd] Feature request: Change default library path on Windows
> That said I dont have a super strong opinion Neither do I. As long as it's somewhere other than USER/Documents > Another option would be to allow users to set the default library location > from within the windows installer (if you can't already). Currently, there is no option during install, but that is a separate issue. I'm more concerned with the default location rather than how to change it. Users won't know that the current default (User/Documents) is incompatible with their cloud service until after they've installed R and tried adding libraries. -Steve __ R-devel@r-project.org mailing list https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-devel
Re: [Rd] Feature request: Change default library path on Windows
> Shouldn't it be in one of the AppData directories? I asked that same question on twitter. Here was a response (https://twitter.com/bmwiernik/status/1419033079495147522): * But it's not for files that should be user-accessible, like a library (cf. Zotero has preferences in AppData , but library files in %USERPROFILE%/Zotero) * So, for example, in R's case it could make sense for the core packages to be installed in %APPDATA%/R/R-4.1.0/library" rather than "C:/Program Files/R/R-4.1.0/library" (either is fairly common), but user packages should be somewhere more accessible. Here is a quote from https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/apps/design/app-settings/store-and-retrieve-app-data: "App data is mutable data that is created and managed by a specific app. It includes runtime state, app settings, user preferences, reference content (such as the dictionary definitions in a dictionary app), and other settings" I don't think libraries fall into the categories of state or settings. -Steve Haroz __ R-devel@r-project.org mailing list https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-devel
Re: [Rd] Feature request: Change default library path on Windows
> I think the benefits of fixing the default behavior easily outweigh the > backward-compatibility and "there is a documented workaround" > arguments. Exactly. This is an accessibility issue and a serious barrier for some beginners. It's possible to work around the error message, but users should not have to do a workaround the very first time they install a couple libraries. Many users synching with one of several popular cloud services and many users whose Documents folder is managed by a Network IT policy will run into this issue. Moving the R libraries from USER/Documents/R to USER/R will help avoid "attrition" of beginners. -Steve __ R-devel@r-project.org mailing list https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-devel
[Rd] Feature request: Change default library path on Windows
Hello, I'd like to propose moving the default library install location on Windows from: %USERPROFILE%/Documents/R to some other location such as: %USERPROFILE%/R For many users the Documents folder is backed up or synchronized. Installing libraries thrashes Documents, and it causes synchronization issues with Dropbox (I confirm this one), OneDrive, and users with Network IT policies. The vast majority of R users won't touch that folder and don't need it backed up. And, its contents are not really "documents". There are many blog posts and websites with people complaining about it or offering workarounds that involve hand editing setting and environment files, which reduces R's usability and accessibility. * https://community.rstudio.com/t/help-regarding-package-installation-renviron-rprofile-r-libs-r-libs-site-and-r-libs-user-oh-my/13888/5 * https://accelebrate.com/library/how-to-articles/r-rstudio-library * https://community.rstudio.com/t/r-studio-library-installation-directory/30725/2 * https://twitter.com/sharoz/status/1418712098444546057 * https://twitter.com/JoeHilgard/status/1419025358070878210 This change should not interfere with any project environment managers like renv. It should just change the global default for Windows R users. Also, I believe that on Mac it is not in Documents, but it's in the equivalent of %USERPROFILE%/R. Thanks, Steve Haroz __ R-devel@r-project.org mailing list https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-devel
