[R] R does not start from (Debian) linux command line - error with doWithOneRestart() - segmentation fault

[Ashim Kapoor]

Dear R experts,

Here is my problem :

R startup FAILS with an error message. The error message is more
meaningful when I do invoke R via sudo OR as root. I attach the
startup messages when I invoke R as :

1. as non root user
2. with sudo
3. as Root user.

The error messages ( mentioned in snippets below ) are more meaningful
to me in the above mentioned order.

When I google around for the error message, it looks like there is an
.xlsx file which has non english characters which is messing with
Java.

I do not know how to fix this. I tried :-

R --vanilla

so that it would not use any startup scripts but that also does not work.

----------------- snip
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When I try to start R from the command line :

~$ R

 *** caught segfault ***
address (nil), cause 'unknown'

Traceback:
 1: NextMethod(.Generic)
 2: Ops.numeric_version(R_version_built_under, "3.0.0")
 3: testRversion(pkgInfo, package, pkgpath)
 4: library(package, lib.loc = lib.loc, character.only = TRUE,
logical.return = TRUE,     warn.conflicts = warn.conflicts, quietly =
quietly, mask.ok = mask.ok,     exclude = exclude, include.only =
include.only, attach.required = attach.required)
 5: doTryCatch(return(expr), name, parentenv, handler)
 6: tryCatchOne(expr, names, parentenv, handlers[[1L]])
 7: tryCatchList(expr, classes, parentenv, handlers)
 8: tryCatch(library(package, lib.loc = lib.loc, character.only =
TRUE,     logical.return = TRUE, warn.conflicts = warn.conflicts,
quietly = quietly,     mask.ok = mask.ok, exclude = exclude,
include.only = include.only,     attach.required = attach.required),
error = function(e) e)
 9: require(pkg, quietly = TRUE, warn.conflicts = FALSE, character.only = TRUE)
10: .OptRequireMethods()

Possible actions:
1: abort (with core dump, if enabled)
2: normal R exit
3: exit R without saving workspace
4: exit R saving workspace
Selection: Segmentation fault

----------------- snip
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When I try to start R with sudo it gives a more clear message :-

~$ sudo R

 *** caught segfault ***
address (nil), cause 'unknown'

Traceback:
 1: NextMethod(.Generic)
 2: Ops.numeric_version(R_version_built_under, "3.0.0")
 3: testRversion(pkgInfo, package, pkgpath)
 4: library(package, lib.loc = lib.loc, character.only = TRUE,
logical.return = TRUE,     warn.conflicts = warn.conflicts, quietly =
quietly, mask.ok = mask.ok,     exclude = exclude, include.only =
include.only, attach.required = attach.required)
 5: doTryCatch(return(expr), name, parentenv, handler)
 6: tryCatchOne(expr, names, parentenv, handlers[[1L]])
 7: tryCatchList(expr, classes, parentenv, handlers)
 8: tryCatch(library(package, lib.loc = lib.loc, character.only =
TRUE,     logical.return = TRUE, warn.conflicts = warn.conflicts,
quietly = quietly,     mask.ok = mask.ok, exclude = exclude,
include.only = include.only,     attach.required = attach.required),
error = function(e) e)
 9: require(pkg, quietly = TRUE, warn.conflicts = FALSE, character.only = TRUE)
10: .OptRequireMethods()

Possible actions:
1: abort (with core dump, if enabled)
2: normal R exit
3: exit R without saving workspace
4: exit R saving workspace
Selection: Error in doWithOneRestart(return(` \\x82\\x0ccPV`), restart) :
  not a proper file name

R version 3.6.3 (2020-02-29) -- "Holding the Windsock"
Copyright (C) 2020 The R Foundation for Statistical Computing
Platform: x86_64-pc-linux-gnu (64-bit)

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.

  Natural language support but running in an English locale

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.

Error: not a proper file name
Error in doWithOneRestart(return(` \\x82\\x0ccPV`), restart) :
  promise already under evaluation: recursive default argument
reference or earlier problems?
Segmentation fault

----------------- snip
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Invoking R as a root user :-

$ sudo -i
root using crayshrimp ~ # R

 *** caught segfault ***
address (nil), cause 'unknown'

Traceback:
 1: NextMethod(.Generic)
 2: Ops.numeric_version(R_version_built_under, "3.0.0")
 3: testRversion(pkgInfo, package, pkgpath)
 4: library(package, lib.loc = lib.loc, character.only = TRUE,
logical.return = TRUE,     warn.conflicts = warn.conflicts, quietly =
quietly, mask.ok = mask.ok,     exclude = exclude, include.only =
include.only, attach.required = attach.required)
 5: doTryCatch(return(expr), name, parentenv, handler)
 6: tryCatchOne(expr, names, parentenv, handlers[[1L]])
 7: tryCatchList(expr, classes, parentenv, handlers)
 8: tryCatch(library(package, lib.loc = lib.loc, character.only =
TRUE,     logical.return = TRUE, warn.conflicts = warn.conflicts,
quietly = quietly,     mask.ok = mask.ok, exclude = exclude,
include.only = include.only,     attach.required = attach.required),
error = function(e) e)
 9: require(pkg, quietly = TRUE, warn.conflicts = FALSE, character.only = TRUE)
10: .OptRequireMethods()

Possible actions:
1: abort (with core dump, if enabled)
2: normal R exit
3: exit R without saving workspace
4: exit R saving workspace
Selection: Error in doWithOneRestart(return(), restart) : not a proper file name

R version 3.6.3 (2020-02-29) -- "Holding the Windsock"
Copyright (C) 2020 The R Foundation for Statistical Computing
Platform: x86_64-pc-linux-gnu (64-bit)

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.

  Natural language support but running in an English locale

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.

Error: not a proper file name
Error in doWithOneRestart(return(), restart) :
  promise already under evaluation: recursive default argument
reference or earlier problems?
Error in tryCatchOne(, names, parentenv, handlers[[1L]]) :
  promise already under evaluation: recursive default argument
reference or earlier problems?
Error: not a proper file name
Fatal error: unable to initialize the JIT

----------------- snip
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thank you,
Ashim