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)
# check the package version
packageVersion("bioRad")
## [1] '0.7.0.9522'

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)
# next, we will create two directories where we will be storing data:
dir.create("./data_vpts") # here we will store vertical profile time series (vpts data)
dir.create("./data_pvol") # here we will store polar volumes (pvol data)
# Finally, we set the local time zone to UTC, so all plotted time axes will be in UTC
Sys.setenv(TZ = "UTC")

Next, download the two files posted in the #biorad channel, and put them in the newly created data_vpts folder

Your R session is now properly set up.