R: Find a GhostScript Executable

find_gs_cmd {tools} | R Documentation

## Find a GhostScript Executable

### Description

Find a GhostScript executable in a cross-platform way.

### Usage

    find_gs_cmd(gs_cmd = "")

### Arguments

`gs_cmd` | The name, full or partial path of a GhostScript executable.

### Details

The details differ by platform.

On a Unix-alike, the GhostScript executable is usually called `gs`. The name (and possibly path) of the command is taken first from argument `gs_cmd` then from the environment variable R_GSCMD and default `gs`. This is then looked for on the system path and the value returned if a match is found.

On Windows, the name of the command is taken from argument `gs_cmd` then from the environment variables R_GSCMD and GSC. If neither of those produces a suitable command name, `gswin64c` and `gswin32c` are tried in turn. In all cases the command is looked for on the system PATH.

Note that on Windows (and some other OSes) there are separate GhostScript executables to display Postscript/PDF files and to manipulate them: this function looks for the latter.

### Value

A character string giving the full path to a GhostScript executable if one was found, otherwise an empty string.

### Examples

    ## Not run:
    ## Suppose a Solaris system has GhostScript 9.00 on the path and
    ## 9.07 in /opt/csw/bin.  Then one might set
    Sys.setenv(R_GSCMD = "/opt/csw/bin/gs")

    ## End(Not run)

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