Sequence Data are Strings
=========================

The first few items in our topics are very well covered in the booklet
`/a-little-book-of-r-for-bioinformatics.readthedocs.org
<http://a-little-book-of-r-for-bioinformatics.readthedocs.org/>`_.


To use function from the SeqinR package, 
we first need to install the ``seqinr`` package (for instructions on how to
install an R package, see `How to install an R package <http://a-little-book-of-r-for-bioinformatics.readthedocs.org/en/latest/src/installr.html#how-to-install-an-r-package>`_).
Once you have installed the ``seqinr`` R package, you can load the package by typing:

.. highlight:: r

::

    > library("seqinr")

(you have to do this at the beginning of every new R session).

Using the Package Biostrings
----------------------------

Biostrings is our first Bioconductor package.
We install it in a slightly different way than ordinary R packages.

`Here are some instructions on all the steps : <http://a-little-book-of-r-for-bioinformatics.readthedocs.org/en/latest/src/installr.html#how-to-install-a-bioconductor-r-package>`_.
Basically, after installing R you need to type:

.. highlight:: r

::

    > source("http://bioconductor.org/biocLite.R")
    > biocLite()

This will ensure you a minimum number of Bioconductor
packages including ``biostrings``.