File path issues in R using Windows (“Hex digits in character string” error)

Question

I run R on Windows, and have a csv file on the Desktop. I load it as follows,

x<-read.csv(\"C:\\Users\\surfcat\\Desktop\\2006_dissimilarity.csv\",header=T         


        

Answer 1

Solution

Try this: x <- read.csv("C:/Users/surfcat/Desktop/2006_dissimilarity.csv", header=TRUE)

Explanation

R is not able to understand normal windows paths correctly because the "\" has special meaning - it is used as escape character to give following characters special meaning (\n for newline, \t for tab, \r for carriage return, ..., have a look here ).

Because R does not know the sequence \U it complains. Just replace the "\" with "/" or use an additional "\" to escape the "\" from its special meaning and everything works smooth.

Alternative

On windows, I think the best thing to do to improve your workflow with windows specific paths in R is to use e.g. AutoHotkey which allows for custom hotkeys:

• define a Hotkey, e.g. Cntr-Shift-V
• assigns it an procedure that replaces backslashes within your Clipboard with slaches ...
• when ever you want to copy paste a path into R you can use Cntr-Shift-V instead of Cntr-V
• Et-voila

AutoHotkey Code Snippet (link to homepage)

^+v::
StringReplace, clipboard, clipboard, \, /, All 
SendInput, %clipboard%