r - RSelenium, Chrome, How to set download directory, file download error

Question

Hello :) I'm trying to automate downloading spreadsheets from XYZ website. The code works well, goes through authorization without problem and downloads the file. But, when I try to change the download directory, it starts to download the file, but instantly gives me file download error in browser. The way I tried to change the download directory is by adding:

eCaps <- list(
  chromeOptions = 
    list(prefs = list("profile.default_content_settings.popups" = 0L,
"download.prompt_for_download" = FALSE,
"directory_upgrade" = TRUE,
"download.default_directory" = "C:/XXX/YYY"
    )
    )
)

and adding the extraCapabilities = eCaps to rsDrive():

rD <- rsDriver(browser= "chrome", chromever = "80.0.3987.16", extraCapabilities = eCaps)

Without these two changes code worked well, downloading to default download directory. Is there any way to set it properly to download to any other directory? Here is the complete code:

library(RSelenium)
eCaps <- list(
  chromeOptions = 
    list(prefs = list("profile.default_content_settings.popups" = 0L,
"download.prompt_for_download" = FALSE,
"directory_upgrade" = TRUE,
"download.default_directory" = "C:/XXX/YYY"
    )
    )
)
rD <- rsDriver(browser= "chrome", chromever = "80.0.3987.16", extraCapabilities = eCaps)
remDr <- rD$client

appURL <- 'https://XYZ'
remDr$navigate(appURL)
remDr$findElement("id", "loginEmail")$sendKeysToElement(list("email"))
remDr$findElement("id", "loginPassword")$sendKeysToElement(list("password", key='enter'))

appURL2 <- "https://XYZ/XYZ"
remDr$navigate(appURL2)
remDr$navigate(appURL2)

remDr$findElement("link text", "XLSX")$sendKeysToElement(list(key='enter'))

Answer 1

I ran into this same problem and here's the solution that worked:

For some reason, you need to use double backslashes in the download.default_directory path, rather than single forward slashes.

So try this:

"download.default_directory" = "C:\XXX\YYY"

Instead of this:

"download.default_directory" = "C:/XXX/YYY"