New to R and need help with error when using multiple packages at once

tidyverse
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1

I am in the middle of a lesson in R and we are using the palmerpenguins dataset and the topic is how to pull up different variations of summarized data from a dataset (specifically glimpse(), skim_without_charts(), head(), and select().
As instructed the following packages were loaded in (via install.packages("") and then library()); "skimr", "dplyr", "janitor", and "here". And the packages; "tidyverse", "lubridate" from an earlier lesson. The dataset palmerpenguins has also already been added.

My issue is that I can't get glimpse(), or skim_without_charts() to work unless I go through the install.package() process with the related package in between each. For example, the code I had added in for this activity is:

install.packages("here")
library("here")
install.packages("skimr")
library("skimr")
install.packages("janitor")
library("janitor")
install.packages("dplyr")
library("dplyr")
install.packages("palmerpenguins")
library(palmerpenguins)
skim_without_charts(penguins)
**Error in skim_without_charts(penguins) : **
** could not find function "skim_without_charts"
install.packages("skimr")
install.packages("palmerpenguins")
library("skimr")
library("palmerpenguins")
skim_without_charts(penguins)
**SUCCESS - Data removed to save room on this forum post
glimpse(penguins)
**Error in glimpse(penguins) : could not find function "glimpse"
install.packages("dplyr")
library("dplyr")
install.packages("palmerpenguins")
library("palmerpenguins")
glimpse(penguins)
*SUCCESS - Data removed to save room on this forum post

In summation: I don't understand if I will always have to reload or install.packages() and library() in between skim_without_charts() and glimpse() types or if I am misunderstanding a piece of this puzzle. S.O.S.

1 Like
2

You only need to run install.packages() once, to install the package(s) on your machine.

Then, in your R script, or interactively, you need to run library() to load all the packages that you want to use in that script or session.

3

You need to use library(skimr) before using the skim_without_charts function. Same issue with glimpse, you need to load the relevant library before using the functions in the library.

4

Understood and per my example shown library(skimr) was used. My question is do I have to use library("skimr") every time I use skim_without_charts or should my RStudio not be having me input library("skimr") whenever I use it?

I am not grasping the lesson, if library() is supposed to only be needed once when loading it in or if that is part of the statement every time I want to use skim_without_charts or something similar? (For clarity, in the lesson and video they were not having to do this which is why I am having some confusion).

5

You only have to do install_packages() once. You have to do library() once in each session. A way to think about it is that install_packages() puts the package on your computer; library() brings the package into the current session.

6

Thank you so much! Trying to internalize the concepts one step at a time. :slight_smile: