[ESS] ess installation on Windows [forwarded]

[Paul Johnson]

I have to agree with you that the install instructions are oblique and 
somewhat puzzling for new users.  I worked on the idiot proof install 
guide at one time. The process can really be simple if you get it right. 
  Right before ESS was relocated to its new web pages, it was situated 
in a Wiki Web site where Tony Rossini had touched up my instructions.

I can't find that now, but I can find the last piece of the email thread 
in the ESS archive

https://stat.ethz.ch/pipermail/ess-help/2004-April/001830.html

Zachary Skrivanek wrote:
> [This should have gone to the ESS-help mailing list, but was sent to MM]
> 
> ------- start of forwarded message -------
> Message-ID: <20050809193257.58048.qmail at web33602.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
> From: Zachary Skrivanek <zskrivan at yahoo.com>
> To: maechler at stat.math.ethz.ch
> Subject: ess installation
> Date: Tue, 9 Aug 2005 12:32:56 -0700 (PDT)
> 
> Martin,
> 
> Hi!  I was able to install the emacs program on XP.  Unfortunately I can't get the ess to load.  The instructions are a bit oblique, perhaps you could help clarify them.  In particular, I think the problem lies in:
>  
> 
>    
> Add the line 
> 
>           (load "/PATH/ess-site")     
> 
> to your .emacs (or _emacs) file (or default.el or site-init.el, for a site-wide installation). Replace /PATH above with the value of ess-lisp-directory as defined in ess-site.el. Use forwardslashes /. (GNU Emacs uses the filename %HOME%/.emacs and XEmacs uses the filename %HOME%/.xemacs/init.el for the initialization file.) 
> 
> Now when I type 'set HOME' at the DOS prompt I get a a directory and I assume that this is where I place the _emacs file.  (I can't create .emacs files on XP.)  So now the question is:  what is PATH?  Per the instructions PATH is "the value of ess-lisp-directory as defined in ess-site.el".  But in this file ess-lisp-directory appears to be defined in an algorithm:
>  
> *********************************************************
> 
> (defvar ess-lisp-directory
> 
> (if (and (boundp 'load-file-name) load-file-name)
> 
> ;; A nice default
> 
> (directory-file-name (file-name-directory
> 
> (file-truename load-file-name)))
> 
> (defun find-load-file-directory nil
> 
> "Locate directory in which load-file sits."
> 
> (interactive)
> 
> (let ((load-file-directory)
> 
> (beg (point)))
> 
> (list-command-history)
> 
> (set-buffer "*Command History*")
> 
> (goto-char (point-min))
> 
> (search-forward "(load-file ")
> 
> (goto-char (1+ (match-end 0)))
> 
> (setq beg (point))
> 
> (end-of-line)(search-backward "/")
> 
> (goto-char (match-end 0))
> 
> (setq load-file-directory
> 
> (expand-file-name (buffer-substring beg (point))))
> 
> (kill-buffer "*Command History*")
> 
> load-file-directory))
> 
> (directory-file-name (find-load-file-directory)))
> 
> "Directory containing ess-site.el and other ESS files.")
> 
> *****************************************************************
> 
> So my best guess is that this is the path containing the lisp files.  I hence typed this path into PATH and wrote:
> 
> (load "C:/Documents and Settings/c020043_sa/Desktop/emacs bin/ess-5.2.0/lisp/ess-site")
> 
> But this doesn't work.  Would you tell me what exactly I am supposed to type into PATH?  Or, alternatively, how can I install ESS on my pc for S-mode use, in particular?  Thanks!
> 
>  
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Zak
> -------------------------------------------------------------
>  
> 
> Andrew,
>  
> Hi!  I am trying to install emacs and ess on my XP machine.  I am having difficulties and one of the explanations could be that the files are not being unpacked correctly.  According to the instructions I can find an appopriate utility, djtarnt, at the following site:
>  
> ftp://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/windows/emacs/utilities/i386/
>  
> But djtarnt.exe does not exist here.  In fact neither do the directories 'utilities' nor 'i386' exist.  Would you please tell me where I can get this program from so I can install emacs and ess?
>  
> Sincerely,
> Zachary Skrivanek
> 
> ------- end of forwarded message -------
> 
> ______________________________________________
> ESS-help at stat.math.ethz.ch mailing list
> https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/ess-help


-- 
Paul E. Johnson                       email: pauljohn at ku.edu
Dept. of Political Science            http://lark.cc.ku.edu/~pauljohn
1541 Lilac Lane, Rm 504
University of Kansas                  Office: (785) 864-9086
Lawrence, Kansas 66044-3177           FAX: (785) 864-5700