RServer
=======

A python based RServer for processing questions from Moodle.

Overview
========
This R server listens for rpc requests on a configured port.  When requests are
received, the R server processes some components with R, blends results with the
original request, and sends back a response containing the blended request.  It
is expected that these requests are coming from a Moodle instance using Remote
Processed Questions (https://github.com/ltjohnson/remoteprocessedquestion), but
that need not be the case.  For example, this repository contains a script that
can communicate with an R server.

File Overview
=============
rserver           -- shell script, used for start/stop/check 
                     and restart control of the rserver. 
rserver-client.py -- python script, may be used to test an R 
                     server.
rserver.config    -- sample configuration file.
rserver.py        -- python script, the actual R server.

Dependencies
============
1.  python (2.7)
2.  R (http://cran.r-project.org/)
3.  rpy2 (http://rpy.sourceforge.net/rpy2.html)

Quick Run
=========
After matching the depdencies, you should be able to run rserver.py from any
directory.  For a full list of options, run: `rserver.py --help`.  The command
  rserver.py --host=localhost --port=8080 --tmpdir=/tmp \
    --logfile=/tmp/rserver.log
will start a rserver that serves on localhost at port 8080 
(http://localhost:8080).  Processed requests will be logged to /tmp/rserver.log
and any temporary files will be placed in /tmp.

Installation
============
It is assumed that rserver will be run on a Unix-like system.

1. Verify all dependencies.
2. Make rserver.py executable, it's location shall be referred to as 
   $BIN/rserver.py.
3. Place the config file in any reasonable directory, e.g. 
   /etc/rserver/rserver.config .  To see a list of configurable options and 
   short explanations, run: $BIN/rserver.py --help .
4. Place the rserver script in a directory appropriate for the init service in
   use in your system.
5. Edit the rserver_home, pidFile, rserver_bin, and config file path a the 
   start of rserver.
6. Configure the init sr RServer.