Err Msg: "No Matching Files Found" in Find File

Last reviewed: September 16, 1996
Article ID: Q126862
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0c
  • Microsoft Excel for Windows, version 5.0
  • Microsoft Project for Windows, versions 4.0

SYMPTOMS

In Word for Windows, when you search for a file in Find File, you may receive the error message

   No Matching Files Found

In Microsoft Excel for Windows or Microsoft Project for Windows, the same search in Find File yields the error message

   The directory '<directory>' doesn't exist or is inaccessible. Check
   your typing. Do you want to skip this path during the search?

CAUSE

This happens when the name of the directory you are searching contains a character between 128 and 255. These characters are not available directly from the keyboard and include such characters as international symbols, spaces, and graphical characters.

Each character available to the operating system has a unique number. MS- DOS reserves characters 0 through 31 for control characters. The keyboard contains characters 32 through 127. The characters 128 through 255 are referred to as "extended characters."

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

   ARTICLE-ID: Q90450
   TITLE     : Windows for Workgroups File Manager and Extended Characters


WORKAROUND

In Find File, use these steps to be able to see the files in the directory:

  1. Choose the Search button.

  2. In the File Name box, type the filename you're looking for.

  3. In the Location box, type the root directory, such as "C:\" (without the quotation marks)

  4. Select (mark with an X) the Rebuild File List box.

  5. Select (mark with an X) the Include Subdirectories box.

  6. Choose OK.

The file now appears on the list.

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.

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the products listed at the beginning of this article. This problem was corrected in Microsoft Office for Windows 95, version 7.0.


KBCategory: kbtool
KBSubcategory:

Additional reference words: 6.00 6.00a 6.00c winword 4.00 5.00




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Last reviewed: September 16, 1996
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