# Binder from github & dockerfile not starting Rstudio?

**URL:** <https://discourse.jupyter.org/t/binder-from-github-dockerfile-not-starting-rstudio/7986>\
**Category:** repo help\
**Created:** [February 17, 2021, 6:11pm UTC](https://discourse.jupyter.org/t/binder-from-github-dockerfile-not-starting-rstudio/7986 "2021-02-17T18:11:38Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Gianluca\_Baio](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/discourse.jupyter.org/gianluca_baio/32/3756_2.png) [@Gianluca\_Baio](https://discourse.jupyter.org/u/Gianluca_Baio)\
**Post date:** [February 17, 2021, 6:11pm UTC](https://discourse.jupyter.org/t/binder-from-github-dockerfile-not-starting-rstudio/7986/1 "2021-02-17T18:11:39Z")

</div>

Hi all,  
This will clearly show my fundamental lack of understanding of how things work, but… here goes… 🙂

So: I have created a public GitHub repo: [GitHub - StatisticsHealthEconomics/stat0019\_binder: This repo is used to create a fully functional Rstudio environment for computation](https://github.com/StatisticsHealthEconomics/stat0019_binder) where I’ve copied a Dockerfile - the reason for this is because I need to use an existing docker image, which has various pieces of software already installed (with a view of making life easier for my students in their remote practicals…).

I did follow the instructions in the mybinder docs to set up the Dockerfile and I **think** I’ve done it OK (at least the process goes on until the end…).

Anyway: when I launch the image via docker — something like

```auto
docker run -ti --rm -p 8787:8787 -e PASSWORD=pass giabaio/stat0019:17022021

```

all works fine and the relevant packages are all loaded.  
If I try and share the image via mybinder, the process works, in the sense that I get a “success” message. However, it then fails to launch Rstudio and in fact I end up with a `404 : Not Found` page…

I can browse the “non-Rstudio” part of the binder, which seems to show the files are there. I can open a new Terminal and run some Linux commands to check things (which, as far as I understand, don’t point to anything weird — but I don’t know much, as you’ll have guessed, at this stage…). But even from the top-right cascade menu, there’s no way for me to launch Rstudio.

I’m sure I’m missing something absolutely obvious — possibly the GitHub repo has something wrong? Or maybe I have messed up some other bit of the installation? Anybody can help?

Many thanks and please bear with the amateur… 🙂

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![fomightez](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/discourse.jupyter.org/fomightez/32/495_2.png) [@fomightez](https://discourse.jupyter.org/u/fomightez)\
**Post date:** [February 17, 2021, 7:51pm UTC](https://discourse.jupyter.org/t/binder-from-github-dockerfile-not-starting-rstudio/7986/2 "2021-02-17T19:51:21Z")

</div>

> [@Gianluca\_Baio](#):
>
> possibly the GitHub repo has something wrong? Or maybe I have messed up some other bit of the installation? Anybody can help?

You say the process works, but it doesn’t. There’s a warning in the build. I put that warning I saw below (scroll over to the right so you can see it):

```plaintext
Removing intermediate container 7968b14daf10
 ---> 285c46c4cd12
{"aux": {"ID": "sha256:285c46c4cd12b46636620046bc7f799eeeda587607cc79ad7586926652b47b6f"}}[Warning] One ormore build-args [NB_USER NB_UID] were not consumed
Successfully built 285c46c4cd12
Successfully tagged turingmybinder/binder-prod-statisticshealtheconomics-2dstat0019-5fbinder-b96a03:e4a023c5f971a3ad181a3741fdd69ae1ac8a2b88
Pushing image
....

```

The build is looking for the argument `[NB_USER NB_UID] `.

If you look at your `Dockerfile` at [https://github.com/StatisticsHealthEconomics/stat0019\_binder/blob/d37d3d23bebdf78b53e191f2e3729ea1187eef89/Dockerfile](https://github.com/StatisticsHealthEconomics/stat0019_binder/blob/d37d3d23bebdf78b53e191f2e3729ea1187eef89/Dockerfile) , you’ve commented out the blocks dealing with that.

Look again at the following with respect to that:

- [GitHub - binder-examples/minimal-dockerfile: A starting point for your custom Dockerfile that works on binder. You probably don't want to use this.](https://github.com/binder-examples/minimal-dockerfile)

- [GitHub - binder-examples/dockerfile-rstudio: Using RStudio with Binder with a custom Dockerfile](https://github.com/binder-examples/dockerfile-rstudio)

In particular the [minimal-dockerfile](https://github.com/binder-examples/minimal-dockerfile) describes what you need for `[NB_USER NB_UID] `.

It looks like your Dockerfile doesn’t install R/RStudio in a way that Jupyter launched via MyBinder recognizes and adds. The symptom is there is no R kernel or Rstudio choice in the Jupyter Dashboard. I do see that R is present if you launch if from the terminal in a session launched from your repo.

Then try adding the following at the end of your Dockerfile based on [GitHub - binder-examples/dockerfile-rstudio: Using RStudio with Binder with a custom Dockerfile](https://github.com/binder-examples/dockerfile-rstudio) :

```docker
## run any install.R script we find
RUN if [-f install.R]; then R --quiet -f install.R; fi

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Gianluca\_Baio](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/discourse.jupyter.org/gianluca_baio/32/3756_2.png) [@Gianluca\_Baio](https://discourse.jupyter.org/u/Gianluca_Baio)\
**Post date:** [February 17, 2021, 8:30pm UTC](https://discourse.jupyter.org/t/binder-from-github-dockerfile-not-starting-rstudio/7986/3 "2021-02-17T20:30:17Z")

</div>

Thank you, @fomightez — I did say I obviously didn’t know what I was doing…

I had commented out the bits about defining the new user because when it’s not commented, the build just fails (complaining that a user with ID 1000 already exists). This way it did get to the end of the process, so I thought it did work…

I’ve tried to implement the changes you suggest and still doesn’t work. I’m still investigating, but I think the problem is that, probably, the original image I’m importing does have an existing user `jovyan`, which messes up with the rest of the installation…

If I use

```auto
# Must specigy a tag
FROM giabaio/stat0019:17022021

# install the notebook package
RUN pip install --no-cache --upgrade pip && \
    pip install --no-cache notebook

# create user with a home directory
ARG NB_USER
ARG NB_UID
ENV USER ${NB_USER}
ENV HOME /home/${NB_USER}

RUN echo $HOME
RUN echo $NB_USER

# Copy repo into ${HOME}, make user own $HOME
USER root
COPY . ${HOME}
RUN chown -R ${NB_USER} ${HOME}
USER ${NB_USER}

## run any install.R script we find
RUN if [-f install.R]; then R --quiet -f install.R; fi

```

then it fails and shows that

```auto
# Must specigy a tag
FROM giabaio/stat0019:17022021

# install the notebook package
RUN pip install --no-cache --upgrade pip && \
    pip install --no-cache notebook

# create user with a home directory
ARG NB_USER
ARG NB_UID
ENV USER ${NB_USER}
ENV HOME /home/${NB_USER}

RUN echo $HOME
RUN echo $NB_USER

# Copy repo into ${HOME}, make user own $HOME
USER root
COPY . ${HOME}
RUN chown -R ${NB_USER} ${HOME}
USER ${NB_USER}

## run any install.R script we find
RUN if [-f install.R]; then R --quiet -f install.R; fi

```

I think I need to check that more carefully — but any piece of advice more than welcome!  
Thanks

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![fomightez](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/discourse.jupyter.org/fomightez/32/495_2.png) [@fomightez](https://discourse.jupyter.org/u/fomightez)\
**Post date:** [February 17, 2021, 8:39pm UTC](https://discourse.jupyter.org/t/binder-from-github-dockerfile-not-starting-rstudio/7986/4 "2021-02-17T20:39:21Z")

</div>

Yes, you aren’t getting past:

```shell
Step 11/13 : RUN chown -R ${NB_USER} ${HOME}
 ---> Running in 4a62bb5fd956
chown: invalid user: ‘jovyan’
Removing intermediate container 4a62bb5fd956
The command '/bin/sh -c chown -R ${NB_USER} ${HOME}' returned a non-zero code: 1

```

Did you try commenting out just that `RUN chown -R ${NB_USER} ${HOME}` line? If you are lucky `jovyan` already owns it.

> [@Gianluca\_Baio](#):
>
> any piece of advice more than welcome

The better way is to do it a supported way. See [Specifying an R environment with a runtime.txt file](https://github.com/binder-examples/r) and the strong encouragement against the way you are trying [here](https://mybinder.readthedocs.io/en/latest/tutorials/dockerfile.html).  
I know you wanted to make it more consistent with that Docker image you already have; however, you can specify R version in `runtime.txt` and install the packages you want via the `install.R` file.  
It looks like you’d like `OpenBUGS` and `JAGS`. The latter you can install via `apt.txt`, see [here](https://github.com/binder-examples/latex) and [here](https://www.howtoinstall.me/ubuntu/18-04/jags/). It looks like for `OpenBUGS` you’d want to use a `postBuild` file because that one doesn’t allow use of any package manager, it seems. Or is [this](https://www.mrc-bsu.cam.ac.uk/software/bugs/openbugs/) making it harder than it is? I see that there is a Github archive of it [here](https://github.com/jsta/openbugs). Plus there are two commands, I’m seeing [here](https://github.com/mavelli/rocker-bayesian/blob/28cc0a8635ce360161e882a8c8a92c278f2b3ffc/Dockerfile) that I wonder if they can just be run in `postBuild` since a lot of the Rocker stuff works on MyBinder. Similarly, [here](https://github.com/gshamov/R2jags-image/blob/1f0b9c35a00634f6801c99e3c9dacc04aeb84fa7/Singularity) does OpenBugs install with source and a make step that could possible be placed in `postBuild`. (`postbuild` files are discussed [here](https://mybinder.readthedocs.io/en/latest/using/using.html) and [here](https://mybinder.readthedocs.io/en/latest/using/config_files.html) and [demonstrated here](https://github.com/binder-examples/jupyterlab).)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Gianluca\_Baio](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/discourse.jupyter.org/gianluca_baio/32/3756_2.png) [@Gianluca\_Baio](https://discourse.jupyter.org/u/Gianluca_Baio)\
**Post date:** [February 17, 2021, 8:54pm UTC](https://discourse.jupyter.org/t/binder-from-github-dockerfile-not-starting-rstudio/7986/5 "2021-02-17T20:54:31Z")

</div>

Problem is I don’t just need R/Rstudio — there are programmes I need to go along R (specifically, OpenBUGS and JAGS). I know how to install on a Linux machine, but doesn’t that still mean a Dockerfile?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![fomightez](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/discourse.jupyter.org/fomightez/32/495_2.png) [@fomightez](https://discourse.jupyter.org/u/fomightez)\
**Post date:** [February 17, 2021, 9:00pm UTC](https://discourse.jupyter.org/t/binder-from-github-dockerfile-not-starting-rstudio/7986/6 "2021-02-17T21:00:00Z")

</div>

> [@Gianluca\_Baio](#):
>
> OpenBUGS and JAGS). I know how to install on a Linux machine, but doesn’t that still mean a Dockerfile?

It shouldn’t. I added specific coverage above. With `OpenBUGS` being the only one I have questions about.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Gianluca\_Baio](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/discourse.jupyter.org/gianluca_baio/32/3756_2.png) [@Gianluca\_Baio](https://discourse.jupyter.org/u/Gianluca_Baio)\
**Post date:** [February 17, 2021, 9:04pm UTC](https://discourse.jupyter.org/t/binder-from-github-dockerfile-not-starting-rstudio/7986/7 "2021-02-17T21:04:44Z")

</div>

Thank you — that’s very helpful! I need to spend a moment looking through the documentation you point out. You’re right that I may be better off doing this – but like I said, I am a bit lost right now and have to do some more reading…

Thanks!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![fomightez](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/discourse.jupyter.org/fomightez/32/495_2.png) [@fomightez](https://discourse.jupyter.org/u/fomightez)\
**Post date:** [February 17, 2021, 9:39pm UTC](https://discourse.jupyter.org/t/binder-from-github-dockerfile-not-starting-rstudio/7986/8 "2021-02-17T21:39:11Z")

</div>

My vision of the files I discussed are [here](https://github.com/fomightez/stat0019_binder). With the default runtime that was there it looks like it will be R 3.6.3. Maybe though it will tell us if we are on the right track for installing JAGS and OpenBUGS.

Currently OpenBUGS still not cooperating.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Gianluca\_Baio](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/discourse.jupyter.org/gianluca_baio/32/3756_2.png) [@Gianluca\_Baio](https://discourse.jupyter.org/u/Gianluca_Baio)\
**Post date:** [February 18, 2021, 12:07am UTC](https://discourse.jupyter.org/t/binder-from-github-dockerfile-not-starting-rstudio/7986/9 "2021-02-18T00:07:24Z")

</div>

Getting warmer… Like you say, `OpenBUGS` proves problematic… If I exclude it then all installs fine and I can run `jags`. Installing the other packages is fine.

I’ve tried to follow a few of the methods described, including configuring `OpenBUGS` to a folder different than `/usr` to avoid permission issues, but it almost invariably gives me a couple of warnings (to do with `aclocal-1.11` being missing) and then a fatal error.

```auto
In file included from OpenBUGSCli.c:2:0:
/usr/include/stdio.h:27:10: fatal error: bits/libc-header-start.h: No such file or directory
 #include <bits/libc-header-start.h>
compilation terminated.

```

My apt.txt file includes

```auto
gcc-multilib g++-multilib

```

which are known dependencies for `OpenBUGS`, but this doesn’t save it. I did try to also include `automake` and `perl`, which are suggested by the warnings, but again no joy…

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![fomightez](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/discourse.jupyter.org/fomightez/32/495_2.png) [@fomightez](https://discourse.jupyter.org/u/fomightez)\
**Post date:** [February 18, 2021, 1:24am UTC](https://discourse.jupyter.org/t/binder-from-github-dockerfile-not-starting-rstudio/7986/10 "2021-02-18T01:24:07Z")

</div>

Yes, I was getting to adding some stuff to apt.txt based on [R2jags-image/Singularity at 1f0b9c35a00634f6801c99e3c9dacc04aeb84fa7 · gshamov/R2jags-image · GitHub](https://github.com/gshamov/R2jags-image/blob/1f0b9c35a00634f6801c99e3c9dacc04aeb84fa7/Singularity) ; however, I had some other stuff come up.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![fomightez](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/discourse.jupyter.org/fomightez/32/495_2.png) [@fomightez](https://discourse.jupyter.org/u/fomightez)\
**Post date:** [February 18, 2021, 1:57am UTC](https://discourse.jupyter.org/t/binder-from-github-dockerfile-not-starting-rstudio/7986/11 "2021-02-18T01:57:10Z")

</div>

How do I test `OpenBUGS`?  
Mine builds at present.

When I run jags I see see:

```bash
jovyan@jupyter-fomightez-2dstat0019-5fbinder-2dgrthm23x:~$ jags
Welcome to JAGS 4.3.0 on Thu Feb 18 01:54:48 2021
JAGS is free software and comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY
Loading module: basemod: ok
Loading module: bugs: ok
.

```

Does that last line mean `OpenBUGS` works?

**UPDATE** : I think I figured out how to test `OpenBUGS` works by looking at what `make check` triggered after `make` during one of the builds that failed because I still had `&& make install` after `make check`. I’ve since removed both of those. `make check` was unnecessary because just takes time and scrolls by to fast in normabl build anyway, and I removed `&& make install` because that was failing due to permissions and I instead installed a symbolic link in `~/.local/bin` as you are supposed to do for such installs.

**IT IS WORKING.** This is what I see in the terminal in RStudio now:

```bash
jovyan@jupyter-fomightez-2dstat0019-5fbinder-2dyr27udq8:~$ OpenBUGSCli -h
OpenBUGS version 3.2.3 rev 1012
type 'modelQuit()' to quit
OpenBUGS>

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![fomightez](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/discourse.jupyter.org/fomightez/32/495_2.png) [@fomightez](https://discourse.jupyter.org/u/fomightez)\
**Post date:** [February 18, 2021, 2:09am UTC](https://discourse.jupyter.org/t/binder-from-github-dockerfile-not-starting-rstudio/7986/12 "2021-02-18T02:09:14Z")

</div>

By the way, I don’t believe your version [here](https://github.com/StatisticsHealthEconomics/stat0019_binder/tree/94909390db1cb33320f0431aff86eecc857cf9ab) is structured correctly. If there is a `binder` directory then the files such as `apt.txt` and `runtime.txt` and `install.R` should be in it as well as the `postBuild` file. The idea is that you could put other configuration files, such as `runtime.txt`, outside of the `binder` directory and it will be used when it is accessed via other avenues besides MyBInder, but that a Binderhub should be the only thing that uses the items in `binder`.

See [here](https://mybinder.readthedocs.io/en/latest/about/about.html?highlight=root#can-i-put-my-configuration-files-outside-the-root-of-my-repository):

> " If a `binder/` folder is used, Binder will only read configuration files from that location (i.e. `myproject/binder/requirements.txt` ) and will ignore those in the repository’s root ( `myproject/environment.yml` and `myproject/requirements.txt` )."

I restructured mine to have the configuration files in the `binder` directory as I gathered you may prefer that.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Gianluca\_Baio](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/discourse.jupyter.org/gianluca_baio/32/3756_2.png) [@Gianluca\_Baio](https://discourse.jupyter.org/u/Gianluca_Baio)\
**Post date:** [February 18, 2021, 11:36am UTC](https://discourse.jupyter.org/t/binder-from-github-dockerfile-not-starting-rstudio/7986/13 "2021-02-18T11:36:44Z")

</div>

Brilliant — thank you! I couldn’t work on it until now, but will pick it up and continue testing. Thank you so much for your help!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Gianluca\_Baio](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/discourse.jupyter.org/gianluca_baio/32/3756_2.png) [@Gianluca\_Baio](https://discourse.jupyter.org/u/Gianluca_Baio)\
**Post date:** [February 18, 2021, 12:14pm UTC](https://discourse.jupyter.org/t/binder-from-github-dockerfile-not-starting-rstudio/7986/14 "2021-02-18T12:14:22Z")

</div>

OK, so thanks again. That’s **really** close to what I need. I think the “normal” installation of `OpenBUGS` ensures that the R package `R2OpenBUGS` can find the actual programme automatically. So the function `bugs` automatically calls `Sys.which("OpenBUGS")` and finds it without the need for any specific argument to be passed to the option `OpenBUGS.pgm`.

The current installation launches `OpenBUGS` by doing

```auto
OpenBUGSCli

```

(as you’ve tested). This kind of messes up with running `OpenBUGS` remotely from R and one needs to specify

```auto
model=bugs(...,OpenBUGS.pgm="/home/jovyan/openbugs/src/OpenBUGSCli")

```

Then all works OK (in the limited tests I’ve made anyway…). But if you don’t specify the `OpenBUGS.pgm` option, then `R2OpenBUGS::bugs` can’t find `OpenBUGS` and the R script fails…

I think I can live with that — I’ll just need to tell my students they **need** to specify the full path (which I’m sure they won’t register. I can see the conversation going:

- “Dear Prof, it doesn’t work!”
- “Have you included the full path?”
- …

😅

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![fomightez](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/discourse.jupyter.org/fomightez/32/495_2.png) [@fomightez](https://discourse.jupyter.org/u/fomightez)\
**Post date:** [February 18, 2021, 2:10pm UTC](https://discourse.jupyter.org/t/binder-from-github-dockerfile-not-starting-rstudio/7986/15 "2021-02-18T14:10:08Z")

</div>

I think you can make it work however you prefer.  
We should be able to add what you want to the `~/.local/bin` so it will be in the path. I put the one I saw the `make check` using because I thought that was what was needed, but we could alter it in the `postBuild`. I think what you’d prefer is below?

```bash
mkdir -p $HOME/.local/bin
ln -s /home/jovyan/openbugs/src/OpenBUGSCli ~/.local/bin/OpenBUGSCli
ln -s /home/jovyan/openbugs/src/OpenBUGSCli ~/.local/bin/OpenBUGS

```

Does that look right and would address your needs?

Plus, do you want me to try to get the R version to be 3.6.2? It shouldn’t be that difficult to adjust the `runtime.txt if you’d like me to try? The idea then will be you should just be able to make the content of the configuration files you have match what I have and things will work in your repository.

By the way the `postBuild` file has special permissions and so you cannot edit in the Github browser. I always use git on my local machine. (That may not apply to you but I’m putting it here to remind others later.)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Gianluca\_Baio](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/discourse.jupyter.org/gianluca_baio/32/3756_2.png) [@Gianluca\_Baio](https://discourse.jupyter.org/u/Gianluca_Baio)\
**Post date:** [February 18, 2021, 2:38pm UTC](https://discourse.jupyter.org/t/binder-from-github-dockerfile-not-starting-rstudio/7986/16 "2021-02-18T14:38:30Z")

</div>

Thank you, @fomightez —

> I think what you’d prefer is below?

```auto
mkdir -p $HOME/.local/bin
ln -s /home/jovyan/openbugs/src/OpenBUGSCli ~/.local/bin/OpenBUGSCli
ln -s /home/jovyan/openbugs/src/OpenBUGSCli ~/.local/bin/OpenBUGS

```

That’s exactly right! I’ve pulled your repo and rearranged mine and all seems to be working OK. I’ve run the `ln` commands on the fly on a running instance and it does the trick — now `R2OpenBUGS::bugs` can find `OpenBUGS` automatically (so hopefully one less problem with the students… 😉 ).

Thanks also for your pointer about `postBuild` — I was already working locally and then pushing to the GitHub repo, but good to know!

Finally, I think what you mean with the R version is to change the `runtime.txt` file to look something like

```auto
r3.6.2-2019-02-18

```

?  
I’ve not fiddled with that as I was trying to get the bigger issues sorted (and thanks again for your invaluable help!), but perhaps that’s also useful. Thank you!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![fomightez](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/discourse.jupyter.org/fomightez/32/495_2.png) [@fomightez](https://discourse.jupyter.org/u/fomightez)\
**Post date:** [February 18, 2021, 3:59pm UTC](https://discourse.jupyter.org/t/binder-from-github-dockerfile-not-starting-rstudio/7986/17 "2021-02-18T15:59:00Z")

</div>

> [@Gianluca\_Baio](#):
>
> Finally, I think what you mean with the R version is to change the `runtime.txt` file to look something like
> 
> ```auto
> r3.6.2-2019-02-18
> 
> ```

I don’t think you have the syntax quite right there. See [here](https://github.com/fomightez/stat0019_binder/blob/85a267bfb11f763fbb5b9ac3e5e514698c62d211/binder/runtime.txt) for some closer. However, that isn’t working as intended yet because…  
More importantly for now though is why did you pick that snapshot from 2019-2-18? I’m looking at [the list pf snapshots](https://mran.microsoft.com/snapshot/) and when I click on that one, it seems to say it is R 3.5.2 [here](https://mran.microsoft.com/snapshot/2019-02-18/)? Which version of R are you seeking?  
I am still getting 3.6.3 currently but it may be because that snapshot date and the `3.6` don’t match?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Gianluca\_Baio](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/discourse.jupyter.org/gianluca_baio/32/3756_2.png) [@Gianluca\_Baio](https://discourse.jupyter.org/u/Gianluca_Baio)\
**Post date:** [February 18, 2021, 4:06pm UTC](https://discourse.jupyter.org/t/binder-from-github-dockerfile-not-starting-rstudio/7986/18 "2021-02-18T16:06:22Z")

</div>

I just typed wrongly… I intended to use today as a template-date (I think what you need to do is to check the available snapshots?), but wasn’t very clear… Thanks — I think I know what you mean.

As a word of advice, how do people feel about [GESIS Notebooks](https://notebooks.gesis.org/hub/home)? If students can actually save the files if they change them would actually be very cool — but I haven’t had bandwidth or time to look into them?..

Thanks again!

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![fomightez](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/discourse.jupyter.org/fomightez/32/495_2.png) [@fomightez](https://discourse.jupyter.org/u/fomightez)\
**Post date:** [February 18, 2021, 4:20pm UTC](https://discourse.jupyter.org/t/binder-from-github-dockerfile-not-starting-rstudio/7986/19 "2021-02-18T16:20:16Z")

</div>

GESIS Notebooks, see [https://notebooks.gesis.org/](https://notebooks.gesis.org/) , is sort of an offshoot of Binder. GESIS is a member of the Federation but the only one to allow persistence. The issue there is you have to sign up as a scientist. I haven’t used it enough myself to know how it works in a class setting.

**I’m still unclear which version of R you want? 3.5.2 or 3.6.2?**

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Gianluca\_Baio](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/discourse.jupyter.org/gianluca_baio/32/3756_2.png) [@Gianluca\_Baio](https://discourse.jupyter.org/u/Gianluca_Baio)\
**Post date:** [February 18, 2021, 4:23pm UTC](https://discourse.jupyter.org/t/binder-from-github-dockerfile-not-starting-rstudio/7986/20 "2021-02-18T16:23:45Z")

</div>

Sorry — I think 3.6.2 would be best, but the students could do even if it was 3.5.2; if it’s easy enough to do the most recent (so 3.6.2) then it’d be great!

And thanks about GESIS.

G

[Next page](https://discourse.jupyter.org/t/binder-from-github-dockerfile-not-starting-rstudio/7986.md?page=2)