[ESS] How does one start R within Emacs/ESS with root privileges?

[Brendan Halpin]

On Wed, Sep 07 2011, Karl Brand wrote:

> <Reposted from r-help at r-project.org>
>
> Esteemed ESS Users & Devs,
>
> How does one start R within Emacs/ESS with root privileges?
>
> I tried without success:
>
>> M-x sudo R

It certainly seems reasonable to run R as root in order to install
packages. Since that is not an everyday activity, it is probably okay to
run it from the shell, and do without the ESS functionality for the
duration.

However, here is another suggestion: 

1: Open a file (any file) as root, using tramp:

C-x C-f /sudo::/tmp/anything RET

You'll have to input your onw password, but then you'll be in a buffer,
as root. 

2: While in that buffer, invoke R via ESS:

M-x R RET

You're now running R as root, with ESS functionality.


Regards,

Brendan
-- 
Brendan Halpin,   Department of Sociology,   University of Limerick,   Ireland
Tel: w +353-61-213147  f +353-61-202569  h +353-61-338562;  Room F1-009 x 3147
mailto:brendan.halpin at ul.ie    ULSociology on Facebook: http://on.fb.me/fjIK9t
http://teaching.sociology.ul.ie/bhalpin/wordpress         twitter:@ULSociology