How to install most recent httpuv?

Question

I've downloaded the tar.gz for httpuv but can't read it properly. I need it to install shiny.

install.packages("c:/.../httpuv_1.4.5.tar.gz", repos = NULL)

produces

Warning: running command 'make -f "Makevars.win" -f "C:/PROGRA1/R/R-331.2/etc/i386/Makeconf" -f "C:/PROGRA1/R/R-331.2/share/make/winshlib.mk" CXX='$(CXX1X) $(CXX1XSTD)' CXXFLAGS='$(CXX1XFLAGS)' CXXPICFLAGS='$(CXX1XPICFLAGS)' SHLIB_LDFLAGS='$(SHLIB_CXX1XLDFLAGS)' SHLIB_LD='$(SHLIB_CXX1XLD)' SHLIB="httpuv.dll" OBJECTS="RcppExports-legacy.o RcppExports.o callback.o callbackqueue.o filedatasource-unix.o filedatasource-win.o http.o httprequest.o httpresponse.o httpuv.o md5.o set_invalid_parameter.o socket.o thread.o utils.o uvutil.o webapplication.o websockets-base.o websockets-hixie76.o websockets-hybi03.o websockets-ietf.o websockets.o"' had status 127

Answer 1

Generally if you want to install packages containing compiled code from source, you have to install a suitable compiler and tools. On Windows this means installing Rtools. Afterwards:

 install.packages("httpuv", type = "source")

should compile and install the most recent version. However, version 1.4.5 of httpuv is available in binary form on CRAN. So installing from source is only needed if you are using an old R version (<= 3.3).