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setting a large value of --max-vsize

Hello,
I'm using a 64bit Linux with 16GB of RAM. I'd like to limit the memory
that the R process can use so I'm trying to use --max-vsize switch.
However, it is seems that I can't enforce a limit above 2GB.


shlomo at hippo:~$ uname -a
Linux hippo 2.6.24-16-generic #1 SMP Thu Apr 10 12:47:45 UTC 2008
x86_64 GNU/Linux


This WORKS:
--------------------

shlomo at hippo:~$ R --max-vsize=250M -e "mem.limits()"

R version 2.6.2 (2008-02-08)
Copyright (C) 2008 The R Foundation for Statistical Computing
ISBN 3-900051-07-0

R is free software and comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY.
You are welcome to redistribute it under certain conditions.
Type 'license()' or 'licence()' for distribution details.

R is a collaborative project with many contributors.
Type 'contributors()' for more information and
'citation()' on how to cite R or R packages in publications.

Type 'demo()' for some demos, 'help()' for on-line help, or
'help.start()' for an HTML browser interface to help.
Type 'q()' to quit R.
nsize      vsize
        NA 2097152008
But this DOESNT
---------------------------


 shlomo at hippo:~$ R --max-vsize=260M -e "mem.limits()"

R version 2.6.2 (2008-02-08)
Copyright (C) 2008 The R Foundation for Statistical Computing
ISBN 3-900051-07-0

R is free software and comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY.
You are welcome to redistribute it under certain conditions.
Type 'license()' or 'licence()' for distribution details.

R is a collaborative project with many contributors.
Type 'contributors()' for more information and
'citation()' on how to cite R or R packages in publications.

Type 'demo()' for some demos, 'help()' for on-line help, or
'help.start()' for an HTML browser interface to help.
Type 'q()' to quit R.
nsize vsize
   NA    NA
I'd appreciate any insights how to set the limit correctly. Also, I'm
assuming that enforcing memory limits by setting the shell ulimits is
not equivalent to setting the mem limits within R since gc behaviour
is dependent on vsize and nsize limits, right?

Thanks,
Shlomo