A quick tour of RStudio 1.4 | RStudio
HD version here: https://youtu.be/oCR_LB3H73M 0:00 Introduction 0:20 R Markdown Visual Editor 0:46 Insert citations in R Markdown 1:09 Python support in Environment pane 2:05 Python environment selection 2:25 Rainbow parentheses 2:43 Monospace font support 2:54 Support for multiple source columns 3:10 Command palette 3:27 Customize data and configuration storage (users and servers) 3:55 RStudio Pro edition features 4:08 Authenticate RStudio Server Pro using SAML 4:25 Project sharing with Launcher 4:48 Request a GPU with SLURM 5:00 Run Visual Studio Code sessions (beta) What's new with RStudio 1.4: A visual markdown editor that provides improved productivity for composing longer-form articles and analyses with R Markdown. New Python capabilities, including display of Python objects in the Environment pane, viewing of Python data frames, and tools for configuring Python versions and conda/virtual environments. The ability to add source columns to the IDE workspace for side-by-side text editing. A new command palette (accessible via Ctrl+Shift+P) that provides easy keyboard access to all RStudio commands, add-ins, and options. Support for rainbow parentheses in the source editor (enabled via Options, then Code, then Display). New citation support that allows you to include document citations from your document bibliography, personal or group libraries, and several other sources. Integration with a host of new RStudio Server Pro features including project sharing when using Launcher, Microsoft Visual Studio Code support (currently in beta), SAML authentication, and local launcher load-balancing. Read more on our blog: https://blog.rstudio.com/2021/01/19/announcing-rstudio-1-4/
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Transcript#
This transcript was generated automatically and may contain errors.
In this video, we'll be showing you the latest in RStudio 1.4 and how these features can benefit you and your team for credible, agile, and durable data science results.
Visual editor and citations in R Markdown
The Visual Editor is one of the more exciting new options, making working with code in RMarkdown easier than ever. This new interface allows you to compose actual RMarkdown using the familiar visual interface. With it, you have easy access to format commands, inserting images, tables, just to name a few of the options available in the visual pane.
Continuing our theme for ease of use when authoring, you also have the ability to find and insert citations from multiple sources, including integration with Zotero, a popular free and open-source reference manager. This not only makes the citation for you, but it also creates your bibliography, reducing the time spent in busy work while providing research.
Python support
Another thing we've spent quite a bit of time working on in RStudio 1.4 is Python, which we've focused more on in our latest releases. The largest feature now available is support for Python in the Environment pane. This allows you to switch directly between R mode and Python mode in that pane to look at data in different environments in R or immediately change the view to look at data in different modules in Python.
We can browse these Python modules in the pane or open it to view directly in our workspace. This allows you to interact with data in Python in much the same way that you interact with data in R.
While RStudio is powered by R and will always be an R-first IDE, we will continue to work to improve the ability to use Python alongside it, allowing teams to mix these languages to suit their needs.
While RStudio is powered by R and will always be an R-first IDE, we will continue to work to improve the ability to use Python alongside it, allowing teams to mix these languages to suit their needs.
In addition, Python environment selections are now available, allowing you to select the version of Python you would like to use or switch between at any moment, or use in each project. This is all powered by the reticulate package which enables these Python-based features in RStudio 1.4.
Editor enhancements
Another new feature that many users are excited about are rainbow parentheses, which helps you to more easily view and decipher different sections of your code. This ultimately aids in following deeply nested constructs, allowing you to view the different levels and find the connected pairs.
In addition, you can now use any monospace font you like to customize your coding experience, allowing you to tailor the environment to your preference.
Mainly designed for widescreen monitors, we also provide the ability to have multiple source columns in the RStudio pane layout. This allows you to take advantage of any space you may have while avoiding the opening of endless windows on your screen.
Also new in RStudio 1.4 is the command palette, which allows you to invoke any RStudio command with just a few keystrokes, such as opening a new R Markdown document. This also allows you to very easily find and learn custom shortcuts that you can use in your everyday work and increase your efficiency.
Data and configuration storage
One key feature that is available in both the open source and commercial server version of RStudio IDE is the ability to customize where your data and configuration are stored for both the users and the servers. This opens up workflows for mounting configuration within containers, helping to solve the long standing problem of users filling up their home directories and guiding content to where it should appropriately go.
RStudio Pro edition features
Moving from the open source, let's also walk through the new features that are now available with the Pro Edition of RStudio 1.4.
Undoubtedly the most requested and important of our recent additions is the ability to authenticate RStudio Server Pro now using SAML. This option along with Open IDE enables single sign-on for users and systems, with standardization that provides fast yet reliable security.
In addition to load balancing with the local launcher, project sharing with the launcher is also now available. Previously both of these popular features were not available to use at the same time, but now even when you've launcherized an environment, you can still share your projects with others. While it still requires some setup for permissions, these are both big features with the commercial server version of RStudio IDE that are now available to use at the same time.
Of note for those who need to request a GPU with SLURM, this is now possible with custom SBatch parameters.
Another nice new feature for the commercial server version of the RStudio IDE is the ability to run Visual Studio Code sessions. This is currently in beta and is great for those who want to run longer form Python programs while working with other teams and projects within the RStudio Server environment.
