1 Getting started

To install the latest bioRad version follow these install instructions

Execute each of the code examples provided below in RStudio, and try to complete the exercises.

# make sure you start with a fresh R session
# load the bioRad package
library(bioRad)
# load the getRad package, which we will use to access radar data:
library(getRad)
# some other useful (spatial) packages
library(terra)
library(sf)
library(dplyr)
# check the package versions
packageVersion("bioRad") # should be 0.12.0.9000
packageVersion("vol2birdR") # should be 1.3.0
packageVersion("getRad") # should be 0.3.0

All bioRad’s functions are documented in an extensive function reference online, as well as in manual pages within R:

# bring up the package general help page:
?bioRad

Start by making a new directory on your local machine that you will use for this practical:

# make a new local directory on your machine for this practical
# replace the string below with the path of that directory:
HOME <- "your/personal/working/directory/"
# check that the directory exists. If the next statement evaluates to FALSE, something went wrong: the directory does not exist or you didn't specify its path correctly
file.exists(HOME)
# we will make HOME our work directory, the default folder in which R will look
# for files, and where it will output newly generated files.
setwd(HOME)
# Finally, we set the local time zone to UTC, so all plotted time axes will be in UTC
Sys.setenv(TZ = "UTC")

Your R session is now properly set up.