Solver Err Msg: Filename Is Not Valid, Cannot Find Macro

The information in this article applies to:

• Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 3.0, 4.0, 5.0
• Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, version 4.0

SYMPTOMS

In Microsoft Excel, you may receive the following error message when you run the Solver add-in:

Microsoft Excel version 5.0

   Filename is not valid

Microsoft Excel version 4.0

   Cannot find macro
   ''C:\EXCEL\LIBRARY\SOLVER\SOLVER.XLA'!Stub'

Microsoft Excel version 3.0

   Filename is not valid

   Cannot find macro
   ''C:\EXCEL\XLSTART\SOLVER\SOLVER.XLA'!Stub'

CAUSE

You receive this error message when your EXCEL5.INI (Microsoft Excel version 5.0) EXCEL4.INI (Microsoft Excel version 4.0) or EXCEL.INI (Microsoft Excel version 3.0) file contains incorrect path information for the Solver add-in.

WORKAROUND

To load the Solver add-in macro, choose Open from the File menu and choose the SOLVER.XLA file from the \excel\library\solver (Microsoft Excel versions 4.0 and 5.0) subdirectory or from the \excel\xlstart\solver (Microsoft Excel version 3.0) subdirectory.

To correct the path information for Solver in the EXCEL.INI, EXCEL4.INI or EXCEL5.INI file, do the following:

1. Close Microsoft Excel. Open the Microsoft Excel initialization file (EXCEL.INI, EXCEL4.INI, or EXCEL5.INI) in a text editor such as Notepad.

2. Locate the Solver setting in the [Init Commands] section. The line should appear as follows:

   [Init Commands] Solver=1,formula,sol&ver..,'c:\excel\xlstart\solver\solver.xla!'stub'

3. Change this line to represent the correct path to the SOLVER.XLA add-in file.

4. Save the changes to the Microsoft Excel initialization file, and start Microsoft Excel again.