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Q112083: PRB: "Invalid or Missing .EXE" w/ Backslashes in Folder Names

Article: Q112083
Product(s): Microsoft FoxPro
Version(s): MACINTOSH:2.5b,2.6a,3.0b
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kberrmsg kbHWMAC kbvfp
Last Modified: 08-FEB-2000

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft FoxPro for Macintosh, versions 2.5b, 2.6a 
- Microsoft Visual FoxPro for Macintosh, version 3.0b 
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SYMPTOMS
========

The Macintosh allows folder names to include characters like the backslash (\).
If a backslash is placed in the FoxPro for Macintosh folder name, an "Invalid or
missing .EXE" error may result when you try to load FoxPro and will prevent the
program from starting.

MORE INFORMATION
================

The "FoxPro Readme" file, the "Installation and Macintosh Features Guide", and
the online Help topic "Cross-Platform Development" contain the following
information:

  Do not use backslashes as embedded characters in folder names. Although the
  Macintosh accepts backslashes as valid characters in a folder name, FoxPro
  uses MS-DOS path delimiters and tries to interpret a folder name containing a
  backslash as two separate folders. For example, if a single folder is named
  FOXPRO\APPS, FoxPro for Macintosh tries to find a folder called APPS in a
  folder called FOXPRO.

If a backslash is included at any level of the hierarchical path (including the
volume name), an "Invalid or missing .EXE file" error will result.

NOTE: This error message can also occur in two other situations. One, if the
local drive and a network drive have the same names, the error will occur. Two,
if the hard drive name contains just a period, the error will occur.

Additional query words: invalid or missing exe file back slash

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Keywords          : kberrmsg kbHWMAC kbvfp 
Technology        : kbHWMAC kbOSMAC kbVFPsearch kbAudDeveloper kbFoxproSearch kbFoxPro250bMac kbFoxPro260aMac kbVFP300bMac
Version           : MACINTOSH:2.5b,2.6a,3.0b
Issue type        : kbprb

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