Error: The R.exe exit code (n) indicated an error

[Alteryx_KB]

Environment Details

• Alteryx Designer
  • All versions
• Tools Impacted
  • R tool
  • Data Investigation
  • Predictive
  • AB Testing
  • Time Series
  • Predictive Grouping
  • Prescriptive tools with the R logo in the bottom left corner of the icon

Cause

If the tool throwing this error is successfully outputting data, and the exit code is not 1, this error can likely be ignored. These are return codes from the Microsoft Visual C++ runtime libraries. R considers any return code other than zero to be an error. Although Microsoft hasn't publicly published definitions for these codes, the R Core team has found that these non-zero errors do not impact outputs and should be ignored.

A true R error that indicates an issue with a line of code will have a return code of 1.

Resolution

Most of the R.exe exit code (1) errors from our R -based macros come from:

• nulls
• invalid values
• incorrect data types
• skewed distributions
• improperly formatted data

This list is not all-encompassing, as there is no singular cause to this error. Extensive use of the Data Cleanse tool and Data Investigation tools will help lessen the possibility of errors for both new and advanced users.
First, more information on what is happening is available by clicking the Show All Macro Messages option in your Workflow - Configuration, Runtime tab. This will enable more information to come through in the Results window. There are often clues in this text coming directly from R that can help you troubleshoot the error (in the second image).



 

 

Additional resources

 

• Troubleshooting the Predictive Tools
• Avoiding R Tool Character Errors
• Demystfying the R-Based Tools, Part One and Part Two 
• Data Science Learning Path
• Boosted Model: The R.exe exit code (4294967295 ) indicated an error.
• MB Affinity: The R.exe exit code (259 ) indicated an error.
• Optimization: R.exe exit code (3221225512 ) indicated an error.

Note: In the Optimization tool, the solver in R requires that all variables be on the left-hand side of any equality/inequality signs. This is to say, although [x1] + [X2] + [X3] == 1 is equivalent to [X1] + [X2] == 1 - [X3], having a variable [X3] on the right side of the equality sign (==) will cause the tool to fail with the error: R.exe exit code (3221225512) indicated an error.

If a thorough investigation of your data does not help resolve this error, please search your question on the Designer Discussion forum in the Community, then post your question there to get help from Community users.

[abrasch]

Thanks for the post @Alteryx_KB. It's good to know why these exit code errors are occurring, but simply ignoring them is not always possible. For instance, I am trying to incorporate an R script into an analytic app. The script runs perfectly in RStudio, but I receive an erroneous exit code error message in Alteryx. I cannot deploy the app if users think there is an error occurring.

Hopefully this idea gains some traction:
https://community.alteryx.com/t5/Alteryx-Designer-Ideas/Improve-R-exe-exit-code-error-handling/idi-p...

But more generally, I'm hoping to see general error handling be taken more seriously
https://community.alteryx.com/t5/Alteryx-Designer-Ideas/Suppress-Ignore-Warning-Messages/idi-p/15864