I had a flawlessly working R/RStudio setup. Since some 'normal' packages upgrading (Debian Testing 'trixie'), RStudio stopped connecting to R and the error message indicates a problem with electron. However, I am out of my depth here and searching online for this problem yielded so many different contexts that I am lost. I feel it is only some config issues under the hood: maybe electron, maybe firewall (although I have not fiddled with anything firewall - not consciously at least). So, thank you for any useful hints!
Screenshot 1 shows:
Versions of Debian, R and RStudio
Check that R is a standard install and is working
Output when rstudio is invoked from bash, inclulding with trace-warnings
Screenshot 2 would show the "Cannot Connect to R" error message and tips window of RStudio, but as a new user, I could not upload it. In any case, I tried the tips mentioned there.
When RStudio fails to connect to R after a Debian Trixie upgrade, it's often due to changes in system components, like the Electron framework used by RStudio, or firewall/security settings. Here’s how to troubleshoot:
Check R Installation
Ensure that R is still properly installed and accessible. Run R in the terminal to confirm that it starts without issues.
If R isn’t recognized, try reinstalling it:
sudo apt install r-base
Reinstall RStudio
Sometimes after system upgrades, files can be corrupted or dependencies may need to be updated. Reinstalling RStudio may fix the connection issue.
Electron/GUI Issues
RStudio uses **Electron** for its interface, and changes in Electron or window management in Debian might cause connectivity issues. If this is the problem, consider downgrading RStudio to a previous stable version
sudo apt-get install --reinstall rstudio=1.4.xxxx
4. Firewall or Security Configuration:
Sometimes, firewall settings block RStudio’s connection to R. Disable the firewall temporarily to check if it is the issue:
bash
sudo ufw disable
If this works, re-enable the firewall and adjust settings to allow RStudio:
sudo ufw allow rstudio
Electron/Package Compatibility
Electron upgrades in Debian Trixie may cause compatibility issues. Try launching RStudio with the `--no-sandbox` option to see if it helps bypass security restrictions.
Thank you for your answer, @nickfredy. Unfortunately, nothing worked.
Reinstalled (and upgraded to latest) RStudio. Same electron connection error.
ufw disable returned "commandnot found". As it is not installed ... it should not be a problem, right?
I guess that the error lies somewhere deeper with he fact that 127.0.0.1:**** is giving "ERR_CONNECTION-REFUSED". It ma be related to the problem that with "sudo apt update" I always get a sudo: unable to resolve host my_machine: Name or service not known.
Can I somehow "clean" or reset the electron configuration?
