undefinedCompatibility Issue with Power BI Service AND R 3.4.4 for some packages (example of ggplot2

[lnisc]

Hello everyone,

I’m facing a frustrating issue related to using R 3.4.4 on Microsoft Power BI Service. As you may know, Power BI enforces this specific version of R, which severely limits compatibility with more recent R packages.

Current Situation:

R Version: 3.4.4 Environment: Power BI Services Problem: Cannot install ggplot2 and its dependencies

Key Challenges:

Manual installation attempts fail Dependency packages are not compatible Version constraints prevent package updates

Specific Questions:

Has anyone successfully installed ggplot2 on R 3.4.4 recently? Are there workarounds for package installations in this environment?

Any insights or solutions would be greatly appreciated. Cheers!

[Poojara_D12 · Accepted solution]

Hi @lnisc 

Install an Older Version of ggplot2:

• Use CRAN Archive to install a compatible version, e.g.:

install.packages("https://cran.r-project.org/src/contrib/Archive/ggplot2/ggplot2_2.2.1.tar.gz", repos = NULL, type = "source")
​

Manually install compatible versions of dependencies (scales, plyr, etc.).

• Pre-Install on Local R 3.4.4:

  • Install R 3.4.4 locally, install all required packages, and copy the library folder to the Power BI Service R installation directory.

• Use MRAN Snapshot:

  • Install from MRAN snapshot of a date compatible with R 3.4.4, e.g.

install.packages("ggplot2", repos = "https://mran.microsoft.com/snapshot/2018-04-01")

• Develop in Power BI Desktop:
  • Use a modern R version in Power BI Desktop for development and testing before publishing to Power BI Service.
• Consider Alternatives:
  • Use simpler R libraries (base, lattice) or Power BI’s built-in visuals if ggplot2 remains problematic.
• Test Locally:
  • Build and test scripts on a local R 3.4.4 environment to ensure compatibility.

By following these steps, you can work around Power BI's R version limitations effectively.

Did I answer your question? Mark my post as a solution, this will help others!

If my response(s) assisted you in any way, don't forget to drop me a "Kudos" 🙂

Kind Regards,
Poojara
Data Analyst | MSBI Developer | Power BI Consultant
Please Subscribe my YouTube for Beginners/Advance Concepts: https://youtube.com/@biconcepts?si=04iw9SYI2HN80HKS 

[v-xuxinyi-msft · Accepted solution]

Hi @lnisc 

Thanks for the reply from Poojara_D12 .

Are you using R script visual and then publishing the report to Power BI Service? If I understand correctly, from my testing, it works with R 4.4.1.

Output in Power BI Service:

Best Regards,
Yulia Xu

If this post helps, then please consider Accept it as the solution to help the other members find it more quickly.

[Poojara_D12 · Accepted solution]

Hi @lnisc 

Install an Older Version of ggplot2:

• Use CRAN Archive to install a compatible version, e.g.:

install.packages("https://cran.r-project.org/src/contrib/Archive/ggplot2/ggplot2_2.2.1.tar.gz", repos = NULL, type = "source")
​

Manually install compatible versions of dependencies (scales, plyr, etc.).

• Pre-Install on Local R 3.4.4:

  • Install R 3.4.4 locally, install all required packages, and copy the library folder to the Power BI Service R installation directory.

• Use MRAN Snapshot:

  • Install from MRAN snapshot of a date compatible with R 3.4.4, e.g.

install.packages("ggplot2", repos = "https://mran.microsoft.com/snapshot/2018-04-01")

• Develop in Power BI Desktop:
  • Use a modern R version in Power BI Desktop for development and testing before publishing to Power BI Service.
• Consider Alternatives:
  • Use simpler R libraries (base, lattice) or Power BI’s built-in visuals if ggplot2 remains problematic.
• Test Locally:
  • Build and test scripts on a local R 3.4.4 environment to ensure compatibility.

By following these steps, you can work around Power BI's R version limitations effectively.

Did I answer your question? Mark my post as a solution, this will help others!

If my response(s) assisted you in any way, don't forget to drop me a "Kudos" 🙂

Kind Regards,
Poojara
Data Analyst | MSBI Developer | Power BI Consultant
Please Subscribe my YouTube for Beginners/Advance Concepts: https://youtube.com/@biconcepts?si=04iw9SYI2HN80HKS