Running an R script using a Windows shortcut

Question

I am trying to create an icon on my desktop (Windows OS). By clicking on this icon, an R script will be executed, which launches a GUI application (gWidgets).

Answer 1

Read the help file ?Startup for details on what R goes through in the startup process and how you can automate running code.

I have done things like this for clients where I create a GUI for a specific demonstration (I use tcltk, but all should work the same). I created a desktop shortcut for them and modified the shortcut to start in a specific folder (but run the standard Rgui program), then in that folder I save a .Rdata file with all the code and data that the demo needs along with a function named .First that starts the demo.

Then the client does not need to know anything about R, just double click the shortcut and R starts and my demo starts automatically for them, they enter some numbers, click some options, slide some sliders, etc. and click on "OK" to see a graph or other output customized to their situation.

Answer 2

A basic version of this I've done in Windows 7 is;

1. locate RScript.exe (e.g. C:\Users\USERNAME\Documents\R\R-3.3.2\bin\x64\RScript.exe)
2. right click and select 'Pin to Taskbar'

The R icon should appear on the taskbar at the bottom of your screen

3. find your script (e.g. C:\Users\USERNAME\Documents\MyScript.R) and drag this onto the R icon on the taskbar
4. right-click the icon, 'MyScript' should be pinned there.
5. click 'MyScript' to run the script.

Answer 3

I think your looking for a batch file to launch a file ?

if so check this out, this comment lists how to do it in command prompt, turn that into a batch file.

https://stat.ethz.ch/pipermail/r-help/2002-March/019950.html

Answer 4

Have you tried using the RScript command? I don't know how it works on Windows, but in Linux I would do something like:

Rscript --vanilla -e 'source("abc.R")'