filepath - 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:UserssurfcatDesktop2006_dissimilarity.csv",header=TRUE)

but the R gives the following error message

Error: 'U' used without hex digits in character string starting "C:U"

So what's the correct way to load this file. I am using Vista

Answer 1

replace all the with \.

it's trying to escape the next character in this case the U so to insert a you need to insert an escaped which is \