- 1 year ago
system() 's not behaving like cmd in R under windows
Comment
1 / 1
In R, the system()
function is used to execute a system command, similar to running a command in the command prompt (cmd) on Windows. However, there may be differences in behavior between system()
and the command prompt due to variations in how commands are interpreted and executed. Here are a few points to consider:
Command Syntax:
- Ensure that the command you're running through
system()
has the correct syntax and format expected by the underlying system. - Some commands or command options that work in the command prompt might not work the same way when executed through
system()
. Verify the command syntax for the specific system you're using.
- Ensure that the command you're running through
Environment Variables:
- Command prompt commands often rely on environment variables, such as the system's PATH variable, to find executables or locate files.
- When executing commands through
system()
in R, the environment variables may be different from those in the command prompt. Ensure that any necessary environment variables are set correctly.
Output and Error Handling:
- By default, the
system()
function in R captures the output of the command and returns it as a character vector. - If you want to see the command's output and errors in real-time, you can use the
intern = FALSE
argument insystem()
. - Alternatively, you can redirect the output and errors to a file using the appropriate command syntax, such as
2>&1
to redirect stderr to stdout.
- By default, the
Working Directory:
- The working directory may differ when running commands through
system()
compared to the command prompt. - Ensure that the command's expected working directory is correctly specified or use absolute paths to files or directories.
- The working directory may differ when running commands through
If you're experiencing specific issues or observing differences in behavior between system()
and the command prompt, providing more details about the command and the specific behavior differences can help in providing more targeted assistance.