PRB: "Unrecognized Phrase/Keyword..." with Macro Substitution

 Last reviewed: June 1, 1996
Article ID: Q110128
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft FoxPro for Macintosh, version 2.5b
  • Microsoft Visual FoxPro for Macintosh, version 3.0b

SYMPTOMS

When you use macro substitution with a filename that contains spaces, the error message "Unrecognized phrase/keyword in command" occurs.

CAUSE

The Macintosh file system allows filenames to have spaces. This feature can cause errors in programs that use macro substitution and don't allow for spaces.

Macro substitution in FoxPro is direct text substitution. Consider the following code: 

   x='MAC HD:FOXPRO:DATABASE'
   USE &x
This code is exactly equivalent to the following USE command: 

   USE MAC HD:FOXPRO:DATABASE
However, this USE command isn't valid because FoxPro thinks the filename is MAC and doesn't understand what HD:FOXPRO:DATABASE is supposed to be.

RESOLUTION

To work around this problem, do one of the following:

  • Pad the composed text string with another set of quotation marks: 

          x="'MAC HD:FOXPRO:DATABASE'"

    Note the double quotation marks and single quotation marks. You can also use "" or ''.

    -or-

  • Use a named expression: 

          x='MAC HD:FOXPRO:DATABASE'
      USE (x)

Additional reference words: VFoxMac 3.00b FoxMac 2.50b file name marco
errmsg err msg
KBCategory: kbprg kberrmsg kbprb
KBSubcategory:

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Last reviewed: June 1, 1996
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