[R] error calling Winbugs using R2WinBugs to run a multi-level model

[Saana Isojunno]

Dear all,

I'm calling Winbugs (1.4.3) through R2WinBugs (2.1-18 coda_0.14-7) to
fit a switching random walk model, but come up with an instant trap
with the log only displaying 'check('.

I will paste the trap with session info below; I'd be very grateful
for any ideas.

Couple of leads:

1. I presume the problem relates to the r package itself or the way I
call bugs(), because I can use the same text files specifying the
model and data directly in Winbugs and it runs fine (i.e syntax ok,
compilation ok, updates slow but no traps).

2. The problem occurs in r only when I try to fit the model to
multiple individuals, i.e. the data contains a matrix of step lengths
(rows) and individuals (columns) instead of a vector for just one
individual. I get the same error message regardless of the number of
data rows in each column (I even tried just one).

The model loops over the path of each animal, estimating a hidden
movement state and their parameters. For 4 individuals with 100 data
points each the data looks something like this:

dat1   : num 100
dat2   : int 4
dat3   : num [1:4] 8 4 2 5
dat4   : num [1:100, 1:4] 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 ...
dat5   : num [1:100, 1:4] 2 2 2 2 2 1 2 2 2 2 ...
dat6   : num [1:100, 1:4] 16 34.3 33.5 27.9 14.9 ...
dat7   : num [1:100, 1:4] 0.357 0.474 0.487 0.495 0.524 ...
dat8    : num [1:50, 1:4] 36.4 294.5 24.4 21.1 422.8 ...

This is how I've called WinBugs in r:

  # write data to text file
  sp.data = list("dat1","dat2","dat3","dat4","dat5","dat6","dat7","dat8")
  bugs.data(sp.data, digits=5, data.file="dir1\\data1.txt")

  # test the model runs
  fit = bugs(data=paste("C:\\Users\\User1\\Documents\\dir1\\data1.txt",dataFile,sep=""),
             inits=NULL, parameters.to.save=list('par1','par2','par3'),
             model.file=modelFile,
             debug=TRUE, n.chains=3, n.iter=20, n.burnin=3, n.thin=1, digits=4)

  ## The trap

incompatible copy

 BugsScript.Action.Do   [00000436H]
	.a	BugsScript.Action	[025B6790H]
	.argNum	INTEGER	0
	.bugsCommands	ARRAY 240 OF CHAR	7877X, 75A5X, 0B17X, 3701X   ...
	.p	ARRAY 3, 120 OF CHAR	Elements
	.s	BugsScanners.Scanner	Fields
	.scriptCommand	ARRAY 240 OF CHAR	"#Bugs:check"   ...
	.vectorName	BOOLEAN	FALSE
 Services.Exec   [00000136H]
	.a	Services.Action	[025B6790H]
	.t	POINTER	[64E10170H]
 Services.IterateOverActions   [000002F4H]
	.p	Services.Action	[025B6790H]
	.t	POINTER	NIL
	.time	LONGINT	4375656
 Services.StdHook.Step   [0000034DH]
	.h	Services.StdHook	[0248E380H]
 HostWindows.Idle   [00004A86H]
	.focus	BOOLEAN	FALSE
	.tick	Controllers.TickMsg	Fields
	.w	HostWindows.Window	NIL
 HostMenus.TimerTick   [00003422H]
	.lParam	INTEGER	0
	.ops	Controllers.PollOpsMsg	Fields
	.wParam	INTEGER	1
	.wnd	INTEGER	1311298
 Kernel.Try   [00003A61H]
	.a	INTEGER	1311298
	.b	INTEGER	1
	.c	INTEGER	0
	.h	PROCEDURE	HostMenus.TimerTick
 HostMenus.ApplWinHandler   [00003841H]
	.Proc	PROCEDURE	NIL
	.hit	BOOLEAN	FALSE
	.lParam	INTEGER	0
	.message	INTEGER	275
	.res	INTEGER	1664639202
	.s	ARRAY 256 OF SHORTCHAR	""   ...
	.w	INTEGER	1970768325
	.wParam	INTEGER	1
	.wnd	INTEGER	1311298
<system>   (pc=75778816H,  fp=0027FB38H)
<system>   (pc=7577898DH,  fp=0027FBB0H)
<system>   (pc=75778AB8H,  fp=0027FC14H)
<system>   (pc=757790E2H,  fp=0027FC24H)
 HostMenus.Loop   [00003BDEH]
	.done	BOOLEAN	FALSE
	.f	SET	{0..5}
	.n	INTEGER	0
	.res	INTEGER	0
	.w	HostWindows.Window	NIL
 Kernel.Start   [00002B8CH]
	.code	PROCEDURE	HostMenus.Loop





## my current R session specs:

R version 2.15.0 (2012-03-30)
Platform: x86_64-pc-mingw32/x64 (64-bit)

locale:
[1] LC_COLLATE=English_United Kingdom.1252
[2] LC_CTYPE=English_United Kingdom.1252
[3] LC_MONETARY=English_United Kingdom.1252
[4] LC_NUMERIC=C
[5] LC_TIME=English_United Kingdom.1252

attached base packages:
[1] stats     graphics  grDevices utils     datasets  methods   base

other attached packages:
[1] R2WinBUGS_2.1-18 coda_0.14-7      lattice_0.20-6

loaded via a namespace (and not attached):
[1] grid_2.15.0  tools_2.15.0




## also tried these specs:

R version 2.13.2 (2011-09-30)
Platform: x86_64-pc-mingw32/x64 (64-bit)

locale:
[1] LC_COLLATE=English_United Kingdom.1252
[2] LC_CTYPE=English_United Kingdom.1252
[3] LC_MONETARY=English_United Kingdom.1252
[4] LC_NUMERIC=C
[5] LC_TIME=English_United Kingdom.1252

attached base packages:
[1] stats     graphics  grDevices utils     datasets  methods   base

other attached packages:
[1] R2WinBUGS_2.1-18 coda_0.14-4      lattice_0.19-33

loaded via a namespace (and not attached):
[1] grid_2.13.2  tools_2.13.2




Thank you!

Saana Isojunno

PhD candidate
Scottish Oceans Institute
University of St Andrews
Scotland