Phantom Printer Names in Excel 5.0

The information in this article applies to:

• Microsoft Excel for Windows, version 5.0
• Microsoft Project for Windows, version 4.0
• Microsoft Windows 95

WARNING: The information in this article has not been confirmed or tested by Microsoft. Some or all of the information in this article has been taken from unconfirmed customer reports. ANY USE BY YOU OF THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THIS ARTICLE IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. Microsoft provides this information "as is" without warranty of any kind, either express or implied, including but not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability and/or fitness for a particular purpose.

SYMPTOMS

When you run Microsoft Excel version 5.0 in Microsoft Windows 95, printers that do not exist may appear in the Printer Setup dialog box.

CAUSE

This occurs if you install a printer with a name that uses long printer names containing spaces. Microsoft Excel version 5.0 and earlier use the MS-DOS 8.3 file naming convention. This naming convention does not recognize the long printer name. Instead of truncating the long printer name into a compatible 8.3 name format, each space is interpreted as the beginning of a new printer name. For example, if you add a printer named "\\Server\My Awesome Printer", this appears in the list of printers as three different printers:

   "\\Server\My"
   "Awesome"
   "Printer"

RESOLUTION

Do not include spaces in names of printers when you install printers in Microsoft Windows 95.