Hi,
I found recently some important information regarding the R-integration
into various other programs. I will update later the stat wiki page, too.
I will describe 2 important programs: one for MS Windows [R(D)COM /
rcom] and one for Linux/Unix (rkward, see
http://sourceforge.net/projects/rkward/). The new architecture of OOo
based on OXT extensions/plugins should ease this.
*Tutorial: Embedding R in Applications on Windows
*(see http://www.r-project.org/user-2006/Tutorials/Baier+Neuwirth.html
and the R package 'rcom',
http://cran.r-project.org/src/contrib/Descriptions/rcom.html)
presented by Thomas Baier and Erich Neuwirth
The add-on package R(D)COM and the library rcom make R accessible in
the MS Windows client server COM and DCOM architecture. This
technology allows to embed R into windows applications or use MS
Windows applications as extensions to R. It can be used either in a
way making R visible to the users or completely hiding it, using it as
a statistical method library for other applications. It has been used
to create software environments for learning statistics, and, as a
side effect, learning R by embedding it in standard software like MS
Excel. It also has been used to make advanced statistical methods
implemented as R libraries accessible in research software in areas as
diverse as biostatistics and in cartography.
The tutorial will present the underlying technology, some examples,
and will help participants to acquire the skills needed to develop
this kind of integrated applications. Finally, we will also discuss
the compatibility of this interface with some other extensions of R
not implemented strictly as R libraries.
Prof Neuwirth teaches statistics at the University of Vienna (see
http://homepage.univie.ac.at/erich.neuwirth/intro.htm). As I speak
German, I could contact him, if there are any questions regarding the
implementation of rcom. I noticed that he also maintains a site
sponsored by Sun (http://sunsite.univie.ac.at/), so I believe he would
be kind to help, if we would have any questions.
*Embedding R under Unix
*(see http://sourceforge.net/projects/rkward/)
The project rkward on Sourceforge.net aims at doing exactly this. See
the documentation on the project page.
I hope that having these examples, will help to write an extension for
OOo Calc and finally embed R.
Many thanks,
Leonard Mada
