MOM: Extended Character in Directory Name Causes Error

ID: Q120831

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Office for Windows, versions 4.0, 4.2, 4.3
Microsoft Excel for Windows, version 5.0
Microsoft Access 2.0

SYMPTOMS

When you use a directory name that contains an extended character with one of the Microsoft Office applications, one of the following symptoms may occur:

You may not be able to start or activate that application by using the Microsoft Office Manager (MOM) toolbar. When you start or activate an application contained in such a directory, you may receive an error message similar to the following:

Cannot find 'EXCEL.EXE'. Please start the application another way.
While the application is running, click on the toolbar button or
choose the menu command again.

When you add an application to the Microsoft Office Manager, and you enter a working directory that contains an extended character, you receive the following error message

The path <drive:\directory> is invalid. Add anyway?

If you choose OK to this error message, the application will be added to the MOM toolbar. However, another error message will occur when you run the application:

The working directory is invalid. Add anyway?

If you choose OK to this error message, the working directory is added, but when you run the particular application, you receive the following error message

Working directory is invalid

and the working directory is ignored.

When you run the Setup program for one of the applications listed above and enter a destination directory name that contains an extended character, you receive the following error message:

The specified directory:

'C:\<directory>'

is invalid because it contains unrecognized special characters.
Please type a different directory

CAUSE

These problems occurs because the Microsoft Office Manager, and the applications listed above, included with the English-language versions of Microsoft Office, are not designed to handle directory names that contain extended characters, such as an acute or a grave accent mark.

WORKAROUND

To prevent these error messages from occurring, do not include an extended character in your directory names.

MORE INFORMATION

Microsoft Office 4.0

When you run the Microsoft Office version 4.0 Setup program, you can enter a destination directory name that contains an extended character for Microsoft Word without receiving an error message.

Microsoft Office 4.2 and 4.3

When you run the Microsoft Office version 4.2 or 4.3 Setup program, you can enter a destination directory name that contains an extended character for Microsoft Word and for Microsoft PowerPoint without receiving an error message.

NOTE: The Microsoft Office Manager application in Microsoft Office does not support being installed to a directory with a name that contains an extended character.

Additional query words: 1.00 6.00 6.00a winppt POWERPNT.EXE WINWORD.EXE MSACCESS.EXE international ascii ansi macppt


Keywords          : 
Version           : 4.00 4.20 4.30
Platform          : WINDOWS 
Issue type        :

Last Reviewed: June 4, 1999