[GRASS-dev] changing %HOME% in winGRASS for a better R-winGRASS-integration - discussion

[Helmut Kudrnovsky]

hi devs,

the subject question oroginates from

[GRASS-stats] GRASS can't find R packages from personal library on Windows
https://lists.osgeo.org/pipermail/grass-stats/2016-November/001690.html

technical background on winGRASS side:

%HOME% is defined in winGRASS by:

for trunk

https://trac.osgeo.org/grass/browser/grass/trunk/lib/init/grass.py#L712

712	def ensure_home():
713	    """Set HOME if not set on MS Windows"""
714	    if windows and not os.getenv('HOME'):
715	        os.environ['HOME'] = os.path.join(os.getenv('HOMEDRIVE'),
716	                                          os.getenv('HOMEPATH'))

and for the 7.0.x-line

https://trac.osgeo.org/grass/browser/grass/branches/releasebranch_7_0/lib/init/grass.py#L1338

1338	# set HOME
1339	if windows and not os.getenv('HOME'):
1340	    os.environ['HOME'] = os.path.join(os.getenv('HOMEDRIVE'),
1341	                                      os.getenv('HOMEPATH'))

both definitions turn out to be (on the most newer windows boxes) the same
as %USERPROFILE% (e.g C:\Users\yourusername).

technical background on R side:

if %HOME% is _unset_ on windows, R looks for private libraries in
C:\Users\yourusername\Documents\R\win-library\3.3, etc)

but if %HOME% is _set_ on windows, R looks for private libraries on the
wrong place (C:\Users\yourusername\R\win-library\3.3, etc.) <= see the
missing _Documents_ as opposite to above search path for private libraries; 

thus R can't expand its search path to private libraries, as these are
installed by default in C:\Users\yourusername\Documents\R\win-library\3.3,
etc.

some ways to overcome this R-winGRASS-integration issue:

(1) add some notes in the GRASS-wiki to add manually R_LIBS_USER (=path to
private library in R) via the windows control panel permanently or temporary
in the winGRASS-command console by e.g. set
R_LIBS_USER=path/to/your/private/

(2) add some notes in the GRASS-wiki how to add R_LIBS_USER in a R session.

(3) add some logic in the windows-winGRASS-bat-start up scripts to add
R_LIBS_USER

(4) add some logic in the (win)GRASS-startup-GUI to define R_LIBS_USER

(5) or see [1] to set %HOME% in windows to %USERPROFILE/Documents instead of
%USERPROFILE% 

add following line 
SET HOME=%USERPROFILE%\Documents
below 
https://trac.osgeo.org/grass/browser/grass/trunk/mswindows/env.bat#L23

to catch the most common R private library installations.

I couldn't find any hints in the source where %HOME% is used in winGRASS
modules/scripts.

any opinion? any objection? any additions?

[1] https://lists.osgeo.org/pipermail/grass-stats/2016-November/001705.html




-----
best regards
Helmut
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