Cannot install devtools package after upgrading R

Question

I have just upgraded to R 3.2.1, and can no longer install the devtools package.

I get the following output:

install.packages('devtools')

trying URL 'http://cran.ma.imperial.ac.uk/bin/macosx/mavericks/contrib/3.2/devtools_1.8.0.tgz'
    Content type 'application/x-gzip' length 324861 bytes (317 KB)
    ==================================================
    downloaded 317 KB


    The downloaded binary packages are in
        /var/folders/zd/112dtz1x3575n4z10cm7nflw0000gn/T//RtmpzsBSdp/downloaded_packages

Load library:

library('devtools')

Error in loadNamespace(j <- i[[1L]], c(lib.loc, .libPaths()), versionCheck = vI[[j]]) : there is no package called ‘curl’ Error: package or namespace load failed for ‘devtools’

I have read the following post - Problems when installing devtools packages - which seems to have a solution for Linux(?), but I already have curl installed on my system, and I can't see how this will help me.

Solution

The error message says:

there is no package called ‘curl’

Run:

install.packages(c('devtools','curl'))

Then try library('devtools')

If any other error persists, then update your post.

Comments

[zx8754]

there is no package called ‘curl’

[drstevok]

@zx8754 Thanks. I realise that and tried installing the 'RCurl' package in case that helped. curl is a shell command (I think) and I am guessing that devtools is using it to access the web but something is going wrong. That is where I am stuck.

[zx8754]

Run install.packages(c('devtools','curl')) then try library('devtools'). And update your post with the error.

[drstevok]

@zx8754 Wow. Thanks! Didn't work at first because I took the option of compiling the latest 'curl' from source, but it did work once I used the older binary version. How do I mark this as an answer (since the solution is in a comment?)

[drstevok]

See comment above about using the binary version not the latest compiled from source.