Check That Your Code Runs

Setup

Make sure that Tools -> Global Options -> General -> Save workspace to ~/.RData on exit is set to the default Ask

Introduction to Reproducibility

• Goal - rerun full analysis with a single click (or command)
• First step - Make sure your code runs anytime and anywhere
  • next day (who has gotten code working & had it not work the next day?)
    • desktop vs. laptop
    • collaborators
    • advisor

Make sure things you did before don’t matter

• Computers store the results of each command run in sequence
• Change something
• Looks like it still works
• Only works because of something you did earlier in the same session

Clearing environments and restarting R

• Clear R environment using the broom icon on the Environment tab.
  • Doesn’t unload packages
  • Useful when developing code
• Restart R to get a clean environment
  • Unloads packages
  • But won’t clear environment by default (at least on Posit Cloud)
• Safest thing is to both clear the environment and restart R
• Then run the entire file using Source with Echo button or Ctrl-Shift-S
• Ensures that the code runs fully and produces desired result
• Last required exercise of every assignment will walk you through this process

Force R to clear environment when restarting

• Tools -> Global Options -> General -> Save workspace to ~/.RData on exit -> Never
• Unclick Restore .RData into workspace at startup