How can I read command line parameters from an R script?

Question

I've got a R script for which I'd like to be able to supply several command-line parameters (rather than hardcode parameter values in the code itself). The script runs on Windows.

I can't find info on how to read parameters supplied on the command-line into my R script. I'd be surprised if it can't be done, so maybe I'm just not using the best keywords in my Google search...

Any pointers or recommendations?

Answer 1

Dirk's answer here is everything you need. Here's a minimal reproducible example.

I made two files: exmpl.bat and exmpl.R.

• exmpl.bat:

  set R_Script="C:\Program Files\R-3.0.2\bin\RScript.exe"
  %R_Script% exmpl.R 2010-01-28 example 100 > exmpl.batch 2>&1
  

  Alternatively, using Rterm.exe:

  set R_TERM="C:\Program Files\R-3.0.2\bin\i386\Rterm.exe"
  %R_TERM% --no-restore --no-save --args 2010-01-28 example 100 < exmpl.R > exmpl.batch 2>&1
  

• exmpl.R:

  options(echo=TRUE) # if you want see commands in output file
  args <- commandArgs(trailingOnly = TRUE)
  print(args)
  # trailingOnly=TRUE means that only your arguments are returned, check:
  # print(commandArgs(trailingOnly=FALSE))
  
  start_date <- as.Date(args[1])
  name <- args[2]
  n <- as.integer(args[3])
  rm(args)
  
  # Some computations:
  x <- rnorm(n)
  png(paste(name,".png",sep=""))
  plot(start_date+(1L:n), x)
  dev.off()
  
  summary(x)
  

Save both files in the same directory and start exmpl.bat. In the result you'll get:

• example.png with some plot
• exmpl.batch with all that was done

You could also add an environment variable %R_Script%:

"C:\Program Files\R-3.0.2\bin\RScript.exe"

and use it in your batch scripts as %R_Script% <filename.r> <arguments>

Differences between RScript and Rterm:

• Rscript has simpler syntax
• Rscript automatically chooses architecture on x64 (see R Installation and Administration, 2.6 Sub-architectures for details)
• Rscript needs options(echo=TRUE) in the .R file if you want to write the commands to the output file