MXL5: "Cannot Open Help File" in Visual Basic Help

 Last reviewed: February 2, 1998
Article ID: Q125906
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, version 5.0

SYMPTOMS

In Microsoft Excel, when you use MS Excel Visual Basic Help, you may receive the following error message: 

   Microsoft Help - Cannot open Help file
You receive this error message when you select the Functions or Statements topic, and you select one of the functions or statements, and then choose the Example keyword. This error message also occurs if you select the Keywords By Task topic, and then select one of the keywords.

CAUSE

This error message appears when you select one of the Programming Language Summary topics listed above, if your hard disk drive name contains a curly (or "smart") apostrophe. This apostrophe character is created by pressing OPTION+SHIFT+].

WORKAROUND

To avoid receiving this error message when you use Visual Basic Help, rename your hard disk drive using a name that does not contain the smart apostrophe.

MORE INFORMATION

Note that if your hard disk drive name contains the regular apostrophe character, you do not receive the above error message in Visual Basic Help. However, this character causes problems when you create an external link in your worksheet, because the apostrophe character is used to denote the path name in the formula.

Additional query words: 5.00
Keywords : xlmac kbenv
Version : MACINTOSH: 5.0
Platform : MACINTOSH
Issue type : kbbug
Solution Type : kbworkaround

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Last reviewed: February 2, 1998
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