Error message when you click a hyperlink in an Excel 2004 for Mac workbook: "Cannot open the specified file" (914205)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Excel 2004 for Mac

SYMPTOMS

When you click a hyperlink in a Microsoft Excel 2004 for Mac workbook, you receive an error message that is similar to the following:
Cannot open the specified file.

CAUSE

This problem occurs if all the following conditions are true:
  • The hyperlink points to another location in the same workbook.
  • You used the Hyperlink command on the Insert menu to create the hyperlink.
  • After you created the hyperlink, you moved the file, saved the file to another location, or renamed the file.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, change the hyperlink to a relative hyperlink. To do this, follow these steps:
  1. Start Excel 2004 for Mac, and then open the workbook that contains the hyperlink that you want to change.
  2. Press and hold the CONTROL key, and then click the cell that contains the hyperlink that you want to change. Then, click Hyperlink.
  3. In the Edit Hyperlink box, delete the text to the left of the number sign (#). For example, the following text appears in the Edit Hyperlink box:

    file://localhost/Users/useraccount/Documents/HyperlinkTest.xls#Sheet2!A1

    Change the text in the Edit Hyperlink box to the following:

    #Sheet2!A1

    Note In this example, useraccount is a placeholder for the name of a user account that is on the computer.
  4. Click OK.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.

MORE INFORMATION

Excel 2004 for Mac Help states that by default, if you do not specify the path of a hyperlink destination file, the path of the hyperlink is relative to the active workbook. However, when you use the Hyperlink command on the Insert menu to create a hyperlink, the path of the hyperlink is not relative.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:3/2/2006
Keywords:kbtshoot kbprb KB914205 kbAudEndUser
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