You expect to get the occasional error message once you start programming, but you do not expect them before you have ever typed a single line of code. The “unable to locate r binary by scanning standard locations” error is just such a problem. The good news is that once you get R-Studio running properly you should not get this problem.
When Does This Error Occur?
The “unable to locate r binary by scanning standard locations” error can occur when you first install R-Studio if the R compiler has not been installed or has been installed improperly. In either case, R-Studio is incapable of finding the compiler software in the standard location resulting in this error message. Now, it is possible that there could be something else wrong besides the installation that is preventing R-Studio from finding the R compiler. If this is the case, you may have a bigger problem then getting this error message. In either case, this error message simply means that R-Studio cannot find the R compiler. There are three main causes, but they have a similar way to fix them.
What is Causing This Error?
Ultimately the reason for this error message is that R-Studio failed to find the R compiler software. The main place this error occurs is in R for Mac or Rstudio Mac, as the scanner and parts of the Mac OS X are not exactly built for R programming. Using another operating system such as windows rather than Mac OS X would make R installation easier on your computer, but this issue can occur on a Windows operating system as well. However, there are three main reasons why the R console cannot find the compiler in the standard location.
- The R compiler software was never installed.
- The R compiler software was not installed in the correct location on the computer.
- The R compiler software has been deleted, renamed or otherwise altered.
Regardless of the precise cause, the problem is that R Studio cannot find the R compiler. This means that in this case there is no way of tweaking your script, R version, package, or anything else to fix the problem. You simply need to get the compiler where it needs to be so that R-Studio can find it.
How to Fix This Error
Regardless of the particular reason why R-Studio cannot find the R compiler, the solution is simple. The solution is to install or reinstall the R compiler, to make sure that it is in the correct location for R-Studio to find it.
One reason the R compiler application may not be installed even if you have R-Studio is that R-Studio does not come with the compiler. You need to download and install R compiler separately. If this is the source of your problem, then simply downloading and installing the compiler will fix this error.
If you have already installed it and you still have the install file then simply delete and reinstall it, making sure that you install the application to the default location. This should also fix any other problems it may be preventing R-Studio from finding the R compiler. Otherwise, re-download it first. In either case, a fresh install of the R compiler in the right location should fix the problem.
While the “unable to locate r binary by scanning standard locations” error can be frustrating, it is simply a case of unable-to-locate, and a quick install or reinstall of the R compiler is all you need. We hope this guide was helpful, and encourage you to check out more of our content for all of your R programming needs.