Error Trying to Access Macro Functions Help in Function Wizard

 Last reviewed: February 2, 1998
Article ID: Q148470
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, versions 5.0, 5.0a

SYMPTOMS

In Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, when you click the Help button from within the Function Wizard while a Microsoft Excel 4.0 Macro sheet is active, you may receive an error message similar to the following 

   Cannot find 'MS Excel Macro Function'. Please select
and you are then able to locate the "MS Excel Macro Functions Help" file, bringing up the relevant help topic. However, Microsoft Excel may not remember the location of this file, and you will have to locate it each time you click the Help button from within the Function Wizard.

CAUSE

You may receive the error message, or one very similar to it, if the full path to this Help file, including the name of the Help file, exceeds 62 characters. For example, if the full path to this Help file is: 

   Mac HD:Microsoft Office:Microsoft Excel 5:MS Excel Macro Functions Help
you may receive the following error: 

   Cannot find 'MS Excel Macro Funct'. Please select
The problem occurs in this example because the full path is 71 characters in length and the search for this file stops at 

   Mac HD:Microsoft Office:Microsoft Excel 5:MS Excel Macro Funct
which is 62 characters in total length.

WORKAROUND

To workaround this problem, you need to create an alias to the Help file. The alias should be renamed to the abbreviated name that appears in the error message.

Using the example provided in the "Cause" section above, you would do the following:

  1. Make an alias to the "MS Excel Macro Functions Help" file that is located in the "Mac HD:Microsoft Office:Microsoft Excel 5" folder.

  2. Rename the alias to "MS Excel Macro Funct" (without the quotation marks).

You no longer receive the error message, as Microsoft Excel can now locate the alias to the shortened name.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

MORE INFORMATION

If the full path to the "Microsoft Excel 5" folder is 62 characters or more, the workaround mentioned above will not work. In this case, you should uninstall Microsoft Excel and reinstall it to a folder that has a much shorter path, ideally to a location where the full path length to the Help file is no more than 62 characters.

For additional information, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 

   ARTICLE-ID: Q127098
   TITLE     : MXL5: Function Wizard Cannot Find Help File with Long
               Path

   ARTICLE-ID: Q138888
   TITLE     : "Cannot find macrofun.hlp" Referencing Analysis
               ToolPak-VBA

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

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Last reviewed: February 2, 1998
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