Installing R package using devtools: fatal error: 'iterator' file not found

Question

I’m trying to install an R package (specifically tess3r) using devtools. I keep running into this ‘iterator’ file not found error. I am using R version 4.3.1 (I know it’s not the latest version, I’ve just been lazy about updating and packages seem to work fine) and am running it on macos.

I’ve tried looking at posts where people have run into similar issues, and for the most part it seems to be an issue with xcode for macos. The solution that always seems to work is simply “just update xcode” and everything seems to work after that. I tried updating both my macos to the latest sequoia 15.7.2 and xcode to the latest version, and I am still getting the same error. Here is the R output for reference:

* installing *source* package ‘tess3r’ ...
** using staged installation
** libs
using C++ compiler: ‘Apple clang version 17.0.0 (clang-1700.4.4.1)’
using SDK: ‘MacOSX26.1.sdk’
clang++ -arch x86_64 -std=gnu++17 -I"/Library/Frameworks/R.framework/Resources/include" -DNDEBUG  -I'/Library/Frameworks/R.framework/Versions/4.3-x86_64/Resources/library/Rcpp/include' -I'/Library/Frameworks/R.framework/Versions/4.3-x86_64/Resources/library/RcppEigen/include' -I/opt/R/x86_64/include    -fPIC  -falign-functions=64 -Wall -g -O2  -c RcppExports.cpp -o RcppExports.o
In file included from RcppExports.cpp:4:
In file included from /Library/Frameworks/R.framework/Versions/4.3-x86_64/Resources/library/RcppEigen/include/RcppEigen.h:25:
/Library/Frameworks/R.framework/Versions/4.3-x86_64/Resources/library/RcppEigen/include/RcppEigenForward.h:25:10: fatal error: 'iterator' file not found
   25 | #include <iterator>
      |          ^~~~~~~~~~
1 error generated.
make: *** [RcppExports.o] Error 1
ERROR: compilation failed for package ‘tess3r’
* removing ‘/Library/Frameworks/R.framework/Versions/4.3-x86_64/Resources/library/tess3r’
Warning message:
In i.p(...) :
  installation of package ‘/var/folders/5g/bpbtlbnn6n9_ptfrqwyy_wkh0000gn/T//RtmpKGQ9y5/filebe51f8b8c73/tess3r_1.1.0.tar.gz’ had non-zero exit status

Any help would be appreciated. I have a feeling that the issue has something to do with C++, but I have no idea.

3CEZVQ · Accepted Answer · 2025-11-14 00:02:10Z

2

You seemed to have Xcode Command Line Tool installed first. Then, after Xcode was installed, the SDK path was not updated. See the actual path with the command xcode-select -p. If it points to /Library/Developer/CommandLineTools, then this should fix that issue

xcode-select --switch /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer

answered Nov 14 at 0:02

3CEZVQ

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2 Comments

c_pugliese Nov 14 at 16:59

Ok thanks! I was able to solve the issue. I did not actually have Xcode installed on my mac even though I thought I did. I had issues downloading Xcode from the app store, but I was able to follow this tutorial freecodecamp.org/news/how-to-download-and-install-xcode and download it directly from apple’s developer website. After that, your suggestions worked (I just needed to add sudo before xcode-select --switch)

Faw Nov 16 at 14:05

That is fascinating. Thank you for the valuable information.

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