Rstudio server: things to know
Access
Navigate to rstudio.reed.edu and log in using your Kerberos credentials.
Help! The server is broken / down / having problems.
Every five minutes, the RStudio Server checks to make sure it is running smoothly; if there is a glitch, the server will restart. This restart should solve any server-level problems.
“It takes FOREVER when I open up project sharing!”
You are (a bit hyperbolic, but still) not wrong. Every time a user opens this menu, the server accesses a list of all current students, faculty, and staff to give you a current menu of your options for collaboration. You want to have that up-to-date, correct list. Be patient while it loads.
On jointly editing documents
We strongly recommend having one active editor for a shared project. (While you may be used to the collaborative editing/versioning functions in Google Docs, that functionality does not transfer to projects on the RStudio server.) If the server detects that multiple editors are accessing the file, it will block further editing of that file. If the server gives you a saving error, copy/paste your code into a text editor or Google Doc, since the server will not save your work.
On installing libraries
Many libraries are installed globally on the server, so you should not need to install.packages() for most commonly-used tools. You are free to install packages on the server; these will be available to you as an individual user. Sometimes library/package installations can cause some odd errors (often from conflicts between your local libraries and the server libraries). If you run into consistent errors, contact our support team at rstudio-support@reed.edu.
Error occurred during transmission (aka broken sessions)
At some point, you may encounter an error when you log in: Rstudio initialization error, ‘Error occurred during transmission’. Sometimes RStudio user sessions encounter errors of some stripe; while this might be annoying, it is also a problem you can solve. To exit a misbehaving session or create a new session, visit https://rstudio.reed.edu/home.
But wait, there’s more.
For errors, questions, other troubles, or package installation requests, contact rstudio-support@reed.edu.