Microsoft KB Archive/160586

= OFF97: Cannot Use Pound Character in File Name for a Hyperlink =

Article ID: 160586

Article Last Modified on 1/19/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Office 97 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Word 97 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Excel 97 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft PowerPoint 97 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q160586



SYMPTOMS
When you create a hyperlink to another file in any of the programs listed at the beginning of this article, the file name may appear to be truncated. For example, a hyperlink to a file with the following path:

c:\Files\My#Doc.xls

may appear as follows:

c:\Files\My - 1.xls

Also, when you attempt to click the hyperlink, you may receive the following error message:

Cannot Open the Specified File.

NOTE: You also cannot use "%20" (without the quotation marks) in a file name. If you attempt to, the %20 characters will be replaced with a space.



CAUSE
This problem occurs when the name of file to which you create the hyperlink contains a pound sign (#).



WORKAROUND
To work around this problem, rename the file with a name that does not include the pound sign, and then recreate the hyperlink.

For more information about how to rename a file in Windows, see your Windows printed documentation or online Help.

To recreate the hyperlink, use the following steps:


 * 1) Open the file that contains the link and select the cell that contains the problem hyperlink.
 * 2) To erase the hyperlink, press DELETE.
 * 3) To create a new hyperlink, click Hyperlink on the Insert menu.
 * 4) Click Browse next to the "Link to File or URL" box and locate the file to which you want to create the hyperlink and click OK.
 * 5) Click OK.

NOTE: The pound sign is a valid character to use in a file name.



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

158300 XL97: "Cannot Open Specified File" Clicking Hyperlink

