Log in to DST

From Remote Desktop download to a running RStudio

Published

June 6, 2026

This page guides you from the very first login to having RStudio running and being ready to execute code.

Note

This guide assumes you are working with R. When you log in to DST, you choose β€œPython/R” β€” select R/RStudio.

Connect to the server

Step 1 β€” Download Microsoft Remote Desktop (Mac only)

Open the App Store on your Mac and search for β€œMicrosoft Remote Desktop”. Download and install for free.

Windows users have Remote Desktop built in β€” search for β€œRemote Desktop Connection” in the Start menu.

Step 2 β€” Log in

  1. Go to remote.dst.dk in your browser
  2. Log in with your ident (4 letters) and the one-time code you receive
  3. Click β€œFSE Windows”
  4. Log in with username dstfse\IDENT+PROJECTNUMBER (e.g. dstfse\abcd708421) and your chosen password

Step 3 β€” Select Python/R

You land on a selection desktop. Click Python/R.

A new desktop opens β€” find and open RStudio.

Step 4 β€” Find/create your own project folder

Open File Explorer and navigate to the workspaces folder under your project. Create a folder with your name or ident if it does not already exist:

E:/workdata/[projectnumber]/workspaces/[yourName]/

Recommended structure within your folder:

[yourName]/
  my-project/
    R/              ← all your scripts (.R files)
    datasets/       ← intermediate results (.rds files, local to DST only)
    output/         ← tables and figures ready for repatriation

Step 5 β€” Mac keyboard fix (do this at every connection)

Special characters such as `, $, \, @, { and } do not work correctly in Remote Desktop by default on Mac.

Solution: Switch to Unicode mode with βŒƒβŒ˜U (Ctrl + Cmd + U) inside the Remote Desktop window.

Character Mac shortcut in Unicode mode
Pipe \| Option + i
[ Option + 8
] Option + 9
{ Option + Shift + 8
} Option + Shift + 9

In RStudio, code is run with Ctrl+Enter (not Cmd+Enter).

Step 6 β€” Open RStudio and run a test line

getwd()   # show the path to your project folder

If the line runs without error, you are ready.

DARTER-specific setup (project 708421)

Project 708421 uses the package dstDataPrep, which is not on CRAN and must be built manually. It provides access to load_database() and all DARTER register data.

See the complete guide: DARTER β€” overview and pipeline β†’

Create your R project

An R project collects all your scripts, output files and settings in one folder. Each study should have its own project.

  1. Open RStudio
  2. File β†’ New Project β†’ New Directory β†’ New Project
  3. Give the project a name and choose a location under your workspace folder
  4. Click Create Project
Note

Do not save workspace RStudio asks at close: β€œSave workspace image?” β€” always choose No. Set it permanently: Tools β†’ Global Options β†’ General β†’ β€œSave workspace to .RData” β†’ Never.

Tip

Make RStudio start faster on DST Disable the packages panel: Tools β†’ Global Options β†’ Packages β†’ uncheck β€œEnable packages pane”. You use library() and install.packages() directly in the code anyway.

DST documentation

OUTSIDE DST β€” TIMES (variable descriptions) Look up what a variable in a register means: dst.dk β€” TIMES documentation

ON DST β€” The Star on the desktop The Star opens DST’s format table guide β€” used to find SAS files that translate codes to text (e.g. municipality numbers to municipality names). More: 14b β€” Format tables

Encountered a function you do not recognise? Look it up in 14a β€” Functions: overview.

First session β€” quick checklist

  1. Open your project β€” File β†’ Open Project β†’ your .Rproj in the workspace folder, or double-click the .Rproj file in File Explorer.
  2. Verify β€” getwd() runs without error.

From here

You are now logged in and set up. The rest of the guide teaches you to work with data:

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